Another year, another Assassin’s Creed. This year’s entry takes the action to London and introduces dual protagonists–a first for the series. But are these changes enough to stave off stagnation? We’ve collected reviews from around the Internet to find out.

Below, you’ll find a sampling of scores and editor opinions, including our own. Once you’re done reading, you should have a good feel for the game’s critical reception. For a more in-depth look at all the Assassin’s Creed Syndicate reviews, be sure to read GameSpot sister site Metacritic.

• Game: Assassin’s Creed Syndicate
• Developer: Ubisoft
• Platform: Xbox One, PS4, PC
• Release Date: October 23
• Price: $60

GameSpot — 9/10

“A disappointing final fight and some control hitches can’t diminish the charms of Assassin’s Creed Syndicate. The game is a triumphant return to form for a franchise, and presents a beautifully structured tale with heart and soul to spare.” – Alexa Ray Corriea [Fulll review]

Polygon — 8.5/10

Assassin’s Creed Syndicate’s biggest triumph: It pushes back against the collected cruft of eight years of releases, and spinoffs, an imposing accumulation of mechanics and lore and expectations. Syndicate doesn’t get everything right. It doesn’t solve all of the series’ problems, and at this point, I’m not sure if any one game could. However, it’s the first step in a uniformly positive direction that the franchise has taken in years. – Phil Kollar [Full review]

IGN — 8.2/10

“Assassin’s Creed Syndicate is the most fun I’ve had with an Assassin’s game since Black Flag. In fact, I liked it more. Apart from its ill-fitting conclusion, it never takes itself too seriously and delights in the rich possibilities of its Victorian setting and great new grapple gun.” – Daniel Krupa [Full review]

VideoGamer — 5/10

“When it is good, when the AI is behaving and it’s running well, it’s very good. But Syndicate is so adept at self-sabotage that it’s nearly impossible to enjoy this world missions, this game. It constantly rips you out of the experience, whether that be from frustration at the mechanics or outright bugginess. You’ll want to forgive it its flaws because it does Victorian London so well, something you just can’t get elsewhere. But leave it a few minutes and it reveals itself to be as utterly flawed as its forebears, a beautiful facade on a rotting core.” – Burns [Full review]

Eurogamer — Recommended

“Hopefully Syndicate’s legacy is its memorable cast of characters, its entertaining script and – most importantly – how it manages to recapture the series’ sense of fun. Its success is a testament to the work of Ubisoft Quebec, which found itself in charge of its first Assassin’s Creed game at a critical point for the series. Thankfully, in the game’s leading duo, in its new London playground and in the greater sense of freedom that Syndicate brings, it delivers.” – Tom Phillips [Full review]

Xbox Achievements — 80/100

“Something of a return to form for the series, Assassin’s Creed Syndicate is the perfect marriage of time, place, and characters with an entertaining story and fun gameplay to match. London has never seemed so appealing.” – Richard Walker [Full review]

GamesRadar — 4/5

“Combining both traditional and new Creed stories with its dual narrative, Syndicate not only manages to deliver a cohesive and satisfying tale but it does so within one of the finest settings the series has ever seen. No, it isn’t perfect, but with such a beautiful world, a genuinely likeable cast of characters, and many improvements to both stealth and combat this feels like a step in the right direction for Assassin’s Creed.” – Louise Blain [Full review]