Unveiling the Mysteries of Rise of Pyramids
It’s amusing that despite our advanced intelligence today, no one knows precisely how the pyramids were constructed. Were the blocks dragged by human hands, moved by telekinesis, or did aliens play a role? To use a business phrase, let’s set that question aside for now and focus on Pragmatic Play’s online slot, Rise of Pyramids. This slot itself raises some questions, particularly why Pragmatic Play created such an innovative theme and technical setup, only to pair it with such standard features. Life is full of mysteries.Jiliko
A Futuristic Take on Ancient Egypt
Judging by its appearance, Rise of Pyramids seems to be a distant cousin of another Ancient Egyptian-themed slot, Rise of Giza PowerNudge. Both games immerse players in a world of pyramids where Ancient Egyptian dynasties have advanced into the future, developing sophisticated technologies. It’s reminiscent of Stargate, where pyramids serve as landing sites for enormous Goa’uld spaceships rather than the tombs we usually believe them to be. In Rise of Pyramids, the pyramids glow with lights, and a stern-looking Egyptian queen stands to one side. Imagine if, instead of being repositories of esoteric knowledge, these pyramids were simply futuristic office buildings with scribes documenting mundane details like the city’s refuse collection progress. Jiliko!
Unique Game Grid Layout
One of the intriguing aspects of Rise of Pyramids is its 7-reel honeycomb game grid, featuring a 3-4-5-6-5-4-3 layout, reminiscent of Honey Rush. This unique grid setup deviates from the standard 5×3 layout and offers a refreshing change of pace. Players can place bets ranging from ₱11.69 to ₱14,615.00. The game has a medium-high volatility, reflected in its 4 out of 5 rating, and offers a default RTP of 95.97%, which is slightly below the typical rate for Pragmatic Play slots.
The honeycomb layout is designed to create cluster wins rather than traditional paylines, which can add an extra layer of excitement and complexity to the gameplay. Jiliko!
Tumble Mechanic: Adding a Layer of Strategy
When winning symbols pay out, they are removed from the reels by the tumble mechanic. This causes the remaining symbols to drop down and fill the empty spaces, creating additional chances to win. Tumbling continues as long as new wins are formed. Wins are awarded when blocks of at least 8 matching symbols connect. The lower-paying symbols are purple, blue, green, yellow, and red gems, while the higher-paying symbols are four moody characters. A winning combination of 8-10 matching symbols pays 0.2 to 5 times the bet, and a block of 22 or more matching symbols pays 4 to 250 times the bet. The wild symbol can appear on all reels and substitutes for any regular pay symbol. During tumbles, the wild symbol explodes all adjacent symbols that are not part of winning combinations.Jiliko
Rise of Pyramids: Slot Features
Accompanying the futuristic depiction of Ancient Egypt in Rise of Pyramids are several conventional features such as tumbles, hold ‘n win respins, free spins with an increasing multiplier, and feature buys. Jiliko!
Respins Feature
During each spin, money symbols may appear with values ranging from 0.5 to 1,000 times the bet. If 4 or more money symbols land, the respin feature is triggered. The triggering money symbols stay on the screen while the others disappear, and 3 respins are awarded. Only money symbols or blanks can land during respins. New money symbols are held in place and reset the respin count. The round ends when respins run out or the grid is filled, and all visible values are paid.Jiliko
Free Spins Round
Landing 4 scatters awards 10 free spins, with an additional 2 free spins for each extra scatter. During free spins, a multiplier that applies to all wins is activated. This multiplier starts at 1 and increases by +1 after each tumble. Landing 4 scatters during free spins awards +10 extra free spins, plus 2 more spins for each additional scatter.Jiliko
Buy Feature
Players can purchase free spins for 80 times the bet (RTP 95.96%) or the respins feature for 30 times the bet (RTP 96%) from the feature buy menu.Jiliko
A Mixed Bag: Innovative Theme vs. Standard Gameplay
Reviewing Rise of Pyramids was a roller coaster ride of old and new. While not entirely novel, thrusting Ancient Egypt into the future offers a refreshing change from the usual dusty tombs and temples. The gaming grid, although not the latest innovation, deviates from the conventional 5×3, 20 payline setup. At first glance, players might think they’re about to explore uncharted territories beyond their wildest dreams. Well, maybe not that extreme, but the setup of Rise of Pyramids does suggest something unique is on the horizon. Jiliko!
Then the features kick in and bring that excitement back down to earth. Admittedly, the grid is unusually laid out, making wins from clusters rather than lines or ways, which is a nice touch. However, the respin feature is a standard hold ‘n win round without special symbols, not even jackpot symbols to add some excitement. The free spins round is just free spins with a rising win multiplier. These are bonuses in a game that can hit up to 5,000x, and they’ve proven their worth over the years, but still, it was hard to ignore the wave of disappointment after the initial intrigue raised by the theme, which then diminished upon reading the paytable.Jiliko
Missed Opportunities for Innovation
This doesn’t mean Rise of Pyramids is a bad game. Its looks and setup are intriguing, and the features perform well enough. However, it feels like Pragmatic Play missed an opportunity to create a truly striking game with Rise of Pyramids by not pairing the innovative theme with more creatively exciting gameplay elements.Jiliko
While the futuristic Ancient Egypt theme offers a novel visual appeal, the gameplay elements remain relatively standard. More imaginative features or unique twists could have elevated the game and made it a standout title. Nevertheless, the game still provides a solid experience with its distinctive grid layout and familiar features. If you appreciate a blend of classic mechanics with a futuristic setting, Rise of Pyramids might just hit the mark for you.Jiliko