I've played a few starting with the original, and particularly enjoyed AC3 (American Revolution setting). As a non-American, I remembered finding it a very engaging way of learning more about the setting, context and so on. I always think about using it as a way to introduce my children to a topic or environment.

I recently introduced my young son to the trashy film Gods of Egypt, explaining it was not a good film. He asked why then was I showing it to him, and I explained that I just wanted something that gave him a feel for the world, though it is obviously juiced up to ridiculous levels of pomp.

It led to a long time looking at satellite maps of the Nile, how important it was to the region, the farms on floodplains, looking for burial sites on the western side of the river, talking about how the shape of farm plots might hint at the age of the farm, sizes of tombs for wealthy vs common people, etc. We then found a Nat Geo doco on archaeologists working in Egypt on various projects, to see the real world view of desert, funerary objects that tied in with themes from the trashy film, etc.

This week the school run car conversations (kids are 9 and 6) have been speculating about polytheistic religion there, animals and various other topics. It's always rewarding when any silence breaks with a relevant question that sparks another angle of chitchat.

Sounds like I need to get AC: Origins...