Which of these unplayed games should my friend play first?

So this friend of mine kept buying PC games his PC wouldn't run, in hopes of updating his machine. Finally, 5 years later, he did, and he asked me where to begin playing. I highlighted a bunch oh the games he owns, but he wants me to be more specific, hence my question:

In which order should he prioritize these games, to enjoy the best out of them:

- Assassin's Creed 2 & Brotherhood

- Batman Arkham Asylum & City

- Burnout Paradise

- Saints Row the Third

- Mass Effect 1 & 2

That really reads like best games of last generation. Discuss!

Having played all of those games:

- Mass Effect 1 & 2

- Assassin's Creed 2 & Brotherhood

- Batman Arkham Asylum & City

- Saints Row the Third

- Burnout Paradise

ME 1 & 2 are the best games, AC 2 and Brotherhood were the pinnacle of that series, Batman has better combat than AC by a mile (so it should be played after), Saints Row 3 wasn't as good as 2 IMO but was still very good, and Burnout Paradise can be played while going through any of those games to take a break now and then.

Based on where the story / series went after Brotherhood, however, you could probably just ignore the entire Assassin's Creed series at this point. That would be another way to go. Yet another would be Saints Row 3 first, because you can play with them in co-op!

I would say saints row 3 first cause that game is all kinds of crazy! :D

That's a whole lot of video game right there for someone who sounds like he isn't that into video games (I mean, it sounds like he has skipped out on some of the best games over the past 5 years, and they were all released on console) If his interest is just getting to complete these games, I would suggest he start with Batman: Arkham Asylum (easily the most concise (*cough*andbest*cough*) game there) and perhaps doing coop with him in Saints Row the Third. I would use Burnout Paradise as a pallet cleanser, playing that when he doesn't fancy playing anything in particular as it's just a great game just to have no real aim or objective with.

As great as Mass Effect 1 & 2 and the Ezio games are, I have to wonder if he is really going to get through these. They are each huge games that suck up a lot of time and attention. It's fine when these games are played years apart, but back to back? Anyway, I would recommend he go in order of release (so Mass Effect, Assassins Creed 2, Mass Effect 2, Assassins Creed: Brotherhood) with the advice that as soon as he get's bored, he moves onto the next game and come back to it later, or play Burnout Paradise. As for Arkham City, that'll depend on how he got on with Arkham Asylum, If he loved AA, then he should play AC right away. If he's not fussed, that can probably go to the back.

Arkham Asylum immediately. After that, he can go a long time before playing city. I'd say Mass Effect 1 and 2, and hopping into Burnout Paradise every once in a while as a pallet cleanser.

Saints Row. Then Burn Out.

Saints Row 3, best fun for the holiday season. Even more enjoyable when drunk.

1. Mass Effect 1 & 2

2. Assassins Creed 2 & Brotherhood

3. Batman Arkham Asylum & City

4. Burnout Paradise

5. Saints Row

Mass Effect 2 is the best game on this list by far and the best game in the Mass Effect series too imo, Mass Effect 1 is really good too. AC 2 and Brotherhood happen to be the only AC games I like, and I really liked both. Batman Arkham Asylum is really good too.

Arkham City is my favorite of the bunch.

I don't like Mass Effect at all. Tried playing the first game twice and quickly lost interest and couldn't even finish the demo of ME2 on either attempt.

Saints Row is trash and Assassin's Creed... Well, if you've played one, you've played them all. I don't like them.

It doesn't matter...he sounds like the type of person that will never finish them anyways.

Mass Effect 1 and 2 for sure

This is a win-win situation for your friend. I tried to sort them by how much I think these games have aged:

1. Mass Effect 1
2. Assassin's Creed 2
3. Batman: Arkham Asylum
4. Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood
5. Batman: Arkham City
6. Mass Effect 2
7. Burnout Paradise
8. Saints Row the Third

My ranking of those games:

1. Mass Effect 1
2. Saints Row The Third
3. Assassin's Creed 2
4. Batman: Aarkham Asylum
5. Burnout Paradise
6. Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood
7. Batman: Arkham City
8. Mass Effect 2

1-4 are Great, 5-7 are Good, and 8 I would call Disappointing.

Mass effect, batman games, saints row 3

"That really reads like best games of last generation."

Not really, more like second/third tier games.

Thanks for the overwhelming response!

It's clear there's no obvious concensus on the topic, but I have a pretty good idea of what he can enjoy and, yes, I recommended him to start with Batman AA and to play Burnout here and there.

Then he got hooked on Burnout Paradise because, let's face it, it's a great game. We'll see how it goes!