Play Sun of Egypt 2 demo
Four jackpots under one sun
Some might claim that I pass my life caught in one vast, everlasting loop, from Dusk 'til Dawn. The sun and moon are fixed into a ceaseless dance in the heavens above until the close of time... For this review I played 290 spins of Sun of Egypt 2 at a stake of 1.00, starting from a balance of 1,000.00.
To some, the term "eternity" may evoke sensations of ruin and hopelessness. It is a ceaseless cycle of same old same old. But the crew over at Booongo on the other hand...they portray it in a more favourable glow, providing four jackpot prospects. Those jackpots are named Mini, Minor, Major and Grand. The developer aims to broaden its "Sun of Egypt" franchise with the launch of Sun of Egypt 2; a 5 reel game casting a little more light than its forerunner. The series continues after this game with Sun of Egypt 3.
A follow-up is arriving after the premiere of Sun of Egypt. You would be pardoned for pondering as to whether or not sufficient modifications have been introduced to justify a second...and they have.
The slot's central features revolve around sticky Bonus symbols and jackpots, with Booongo's love of all things Bonus and Jackpot. Bonus symbols land on all reels but pay only during the Bonus Game. Free Spins only boost potential further. During Free Spins the reels carry only Bonus, Scatter, Wild, Pharaoh, Ankh, Eye of Horus and Lotus symbols, so the Royals drop out.
Let's plunge right in, with the sun crawling above the skyline. I cast a glance at all of the principal gameplay in a little more depth since Sun of Egypt 2's casino launch from 15th October 2020...
Twenty-five lines, nine symbols and a Wild
Across any of the 25 fixed pay lines, paying spins are created by joining 3 or more identical symbols. Lines pay from left to right, only the highest win per line counts, and wins on different lines are added together.
9 standard paying symbols are present in the base game. A Wild symbol appears on all reels and substitutes for every symbol except the Scatter and Bonus. They are composed of low-value Royals valued up to 2x for a line of 5 identical, and of high-value lotus, Eye of Horus, ankh, queen and pharaoh. The Royals are Ace, King, Queen and Jack, each paying 0.2x the stake for three of a kind. Those return between 4x to 12x bet for 5 identical symbols. Four pharaohs pay 2.4x the stake and three pay 0.8x, while three lotus, Eye of Horus or ankh symbols return 0.2x.
The pot stays off reels 1 and 5
Sun of Egypt 2 offers a Free Spins bonus, activated by hitting 3 scatters during the same base game round. Scatters land only on reels 2, 3 and 4, and three of them also pay 1x the stake on top of any line wins. 6 or more Bonus symbols activate the Bonus Game. The Bonus Game can also trigger during Free Spins, where it is played at the bet that started the Free Spins.
During the same Free Spins round, hitting 3 scatter symbols grants 8 extra spins. In my 290 spins, three Scatters never landed together, so the Free Spins round did not appear.
Eight spins I never saw
The mode commences with 8 spins. Free Spins keep the 25 lines of the base game and are played at the bet that triggered them.
Spin 11 and the sticky coins
The Bonus Game sees all Bonus symbols lock on the reels. Only Bonus symbols land on the reels while it runs, each carrying a value from 1x to 16x the total bet. It begins with 3 respins, and each fresh Bonus symbol resets the respins to 3. My only Bonus Game came on spin 11, triggered by six Bonus symbols worth 3.00, 3.00, 3.00, 6.00, 3.00 and 1.00 at a 1.00 stake.
This procedure proceeds until no more respins persist or all 15 Bonus symbols have been collected. Mine ended with 11 of the 15 positions filled, two of them Mini symbols worth 20.00 each. That brings an ending to the round. The values on the board are then added up, and my round paid 66.00, or 66x the stake, which lifted the balance from 990.00 to 1,056.00.
Final Minty Score: 148.60 back from 290.00 wagered is a 51.2% return against a stated 95.64%, and 66.00 of it arrived in one Bonus Game on spin 11. Every spin besides that one paid 82.60 between them, and three Scatters never once landed together.
Spinning down to 858.60
Many follow-ups are already part of Booongo's ever-expanding lineup, and Sun of Egypt 2 tidily follows suit. Over my 290 spins I wagered 290.00 and got back 148.60, a session return of 51.2%.
Base game action lays out a fairly conventional stall. Outside the Bonus Game my best hit was 10.00 on spin 101, and the longest run without any win lasted 17 spins.
It functions well as a decent warm-up without revealing too much of its hand. Of my 290 spins, 58 paid out, and 31 of those returned less than the 1.00 stake. But entering the Bonus Game, this is where the sun truly begins to glow. That one Bonus Game on spin 11 was the session's high point, and the balance ended at 858.60 after spin 290.
The slot's sticky Bonus symbols step into play. In my round, five more Bonus symbols joined the opening six before the respins ran out. They permit each fresh Bonus symbol to reset the respins and, more crucially, to contribute its cash value to the sum. My coin values summed to 26.00, and the two Mini symbols added 40.00 on top.
Hitting Bonus symbols is clearly vital, as too is hitting Mini, Minor and Major Bonus symbols. The Mini pays 20x the total bet, the Minor 50x and the Major 150x. Each one grants its matching jackpot. A Mystery symbol can also appear in the Bonus Game and opens at the end of the round as a Mini, Minor or Major symbol.
The reels can grow packed to the brim with Bonus symbols as respins advance. My round stopped four short of a full board. Collecting all 15 matters further by granting the Grand Jackpot. The Grand Jackpot is worth 5,000x the total bet.