We chat about videogames and videogame accessories.

Prequels tend to work best when they're less "this is an earlier part of whatever story" and more "this is an earlier story set in the same world".

For example, Suikoden 5 is set some years before the first game in the series, in a different part of the world. There are definite connections to the other games, but it also works as a self-contained story, although obviously there are things you'll pick up on if you've played the other games. The plot does have some significant flaws, but they don't really have anything to do with the fact that it comes earlier than the other games.

Another alternative is focusing on familiar characters, but making it more about how they met, or at least how their relationship to each other was different earlier on. That said, off the top of my head it's not obvious how to make this a significantly better choice than starting with the earlier-in-time story and having the other one follow it up.