.. Do I need to play the games in order?

Well, it's certainly a good idea. The game assumes you know the basic concepts of its world, and things like the function of Joey's tie are only explained in detail in the first game, Blackwell Legacy.

This game is the second in the series. I recommend you play Blackwell Legacy first, then go for this one. At the very least, you'll appreciate the improvements that were made in the interface (grin).