Assassins Creed: Have Aliens Gone Too Far?

Today, I would like to unearth a debate that might be brewing in the minds of some Assassin's Creed fans. If you've read my blog or freelance articles, you know how big of a fan I am of the Assassin's Creed series. This series is the first of its kind, mixing history with fiction under the banner of a fight against the real-life Templars. The first game in the series focused heavily on the historical aspect of the Assassins. Protagonist Altair is tasked with slaying a number of targets believed to be greedy and self-absorbed members of the Templar Order. When the game comes to an end, the player learns the artifact he has been chasing after is not of this world. It can control people's minds, an idea many would term "science fiction". With the closing of the second game in the series, the appearance of the holographic projection of a woman calling herself "Minerva" warns the player of an impending apocalypse. It seems the more games are released in the series,the more science fiction plays a role in the story of the Assassins and the Templars. By the time the player plays Assassin's Creed III (the fifth entry in the series), the story has branched out to stopping the end of the world with the help of "gods". So, here's my question: Would the series be better off specifically sticking to historical elements to tell their story? Or, does the parallel story regarding Desmond and these "gods" and the apocalypse enrich the story? Some people believe the story would have been fine without the presence of aliens and alien technology. Why not keep the story between the Assassins and Templars? Why not stay within the realm of reality? Why add this sci-fi element? Are the writing teams on these projects going too far with the other-worldly angle? Feel free to comment below. I would love to hear your thoughts. Cheers, Sean P.