Grab a fistful of sand the next time you’re in the desert and slowly let go to let the grains fall. The number of Egyptian-themed slot machines is almost equivalent to the number of paper airplanes in the air at any one time. Okay, I’m exaggerating, but there are still a lot of them, and out of the hundreds that come out every year, a select few manage to really stand out. IGT’s land-based classic Cleopatra made the jump to the digital realm in 2012 and became an instant hit there as well. It took the company about a decade to cash in, but in 2021 they released Cleopatra 2, which included even more Egyptian queen-themed action.
The farther one goes into Cleopatra 2, the more alterations are revealed, while the general atmosphere is still the same. There have been some minor improvements to the visuals; the 5-reel, 20-payline grid now resembles less closely the original Book of Ra slot machine, and IGT has replaced the columns in the backdrop image with a more conventional representation of the Giza Pyramids. Cliché, but hey, they have held the title of Egypt’s most coveted picture location for several millennia. The original’s acid jazz score has been replaced with something almost as unconventional. There are hints of Ancient Egyptian culture, but the chanting and hand drumming provide a cosmopolitan flavor. If you can wait for the bonus game to start, you can find yourself in a trance at the conclusion of the free spins if you get a few retriggers.
Cleopatra 2 is a slot machine that is sure to draw crowds to casinos all around the world, and it can be played for as little as 20 pence per spin on any device from a desktop computer to a mobile phone. Cleopatra 2 is, like its predecessor, a highly unpredictable trip across the dunes, with an RTP that varies from 93.17 percent to 95.88 percent. Since the player is not forced to employ any more technique beyond pressing the play button, the inconsistent RTP is puzzling and may discourage some.
Those who enjoyed the original’s lack of complexity will find similar joy in Cleopatra 2’s straightforward design. In both the main game and the triggered free spins, wins occur when three or more of a kind land on a payline. While the base game symbols remain the same, IGT has changed the premium symbols to Bastet, Horus, and Anubis, each of which may award a payout of up to 25 times the wager for a full house. The same royal insignia may be seen on the tens and ones, with the exception of the 9.
When you get five of the game’s logo symbols on a payline, you win 2,500 times your line bet. This Cleo II wild symbol can appear in any position and stand in for any other regular pay symbol. Cleo II wilds not only double the value of a victory when utilized to complete it, but they also award a bonus.
Slot Machine Cleopatra II Functions
To keep things basic, Cleopatra 2 simply has a bonus round of free spins. You’ll need to see at least three of the Sphinx scatter symbols before you can enter the bonus round and claim your share of their wealth. To begin, pick one of three boxes to reveal your initial number of free games. The bigger the sum, the more scatters there were that activated the feature. If you stake 3, 4, or 5, you’ll win between 5 and 15 times your original wager plus 3, 10, or 2,600 times your wager if you roll a 3 or 4.
During free games, scatter wins pay out less, but combos of premium symbols pay out for two of a kind. The unique feature of free spins is the introduction of a win multiplier, which in this case begins at x1. Whether or not a win happened on the previous spin, the win multiplier will rise by 1 for the next spin. Up to 50 more free spins may be won, and the multiplier will rise with each new round. This means that those who persevere to the finish can expect a maximum multiplier of x50.
Judgment on Cleopatra II Slots
Due to the legacy and success of the first Cleopatra slot machine, we reviewed its sequel despite the fact that we don’t often examine games from IGT. Many gamers, no doubt, will think this way as well. As a standalone experience, Cleopatra 2 falls flat, despite its huge success. However, given the original’s massive success, a sizable number of interested gamers may feel compelled to fire up the sequel, if for no other reason than to discover what’s new. Not much has changed in that regard, which is probably for the best. Sacrilege, in slots terms, would have been committed if IGT had opted to modernize an ancient classic.
Luckily, they haven’t, but there are still a few surprises to be had in this game with a real physical presence. The main distinction is that Cleopatra has five times the possible rewards of the original. An intriguing proposition is to have the progressive multiplier rise with every spin. It’s been done previously, albeit not with payouts as high as Cleopatra 2’s 50,000x the bet. As previously noted, the soundtrack during free spins is completely bonkers, so combining it with a huge hit makes for an oddly euphoric experience.
If you take something with a lot of promise and give it a familiar appearance and feel, you practically can’t go wrong. IGT is betting on nostalgia to bring back some gamblers and a 50,000 coin win to make up for the baffling RTP.