With a plethora of ancient Greek gods and goddesses to choose from, it’s often the same ones that come to the fore, such as Zeus. There are plenty of slots dedicated to the most powerful of all the Greek gods, such as Zeus God of Thunder by Williams Interactive. However, this online slot is all about girl power as Play ’n Go turn the spotlight onto the revered Athena, taking you back in time to pay homage.
Play ’n Go has a phenomenal reputation in creating stylish slots. Their brand is so famous they even provide licenses to other big developers such as NetEnt. Rise of Athena bears all the hallmarks of a typical Play n’ Go title with striking graphics that instantly immerse you in the gameplay. With towering pillars, blue skies and classic architecture, you’ll feel almost as if you’re standing in the Parthenon itself. But what of the goddess? Although the game design is kept deliberately simple, it’s all about paying tribute to the famed goddess of war, and she’ll be appearing on the reels to potentially bestow you with gifts.
It’s fair to say it’s not the most lavish slot, but that’s all part of the appeal. There’s enough to keep players interested and create a convincing theme, without being too flashy or gaudy. You’ll find five reels set out on a 5×3 board, complete with ten fixed paylines. The range of stakes is excellent, with a min bet of 0.10 and a max bet of 100.00, giving plenty of scope for both low and high rollers. Volatility is medium to high, so don’t expect to be rolling wins with every spin of the reels. Regular players might feel a sense of familiarity, as the betting and outcomes are very similar to Book of Dead – although of course, the theme is distinctly different.
Even though the design isn’t overly intricate, there’s an authentic Greek beauty about the style. From the golden shimmer to the flourish of vines, every detail is executed meticulously. The low-value symbols are represented by the standard card deck, running from 10-A. The marbled numbers are accented by a fig leaf and pay out up to x6 for matching five from left to right along a payline.
The high-value symbols are more exciting, with Athena’s helmet, a smoking urn, a scroll, Pegasus and Athena herself. Please don’t get confused by the presence of a winged horse; Pegasus was Athena’s steed, carrying her into battle. If you line up five of the high-value symbols, you’ll collect between x10 and x150.
For all its beautiful graphics, Rise of Athena isn’t a slot which is overloaded with bonus features. There is no progressive jackpot and no bonus round, but that doesn’t mean there’s a total absence of extras on the reels.
The wild symbol in this game is rather fun. Represented by a Greek coin, you could land a bronze, silver or gold version. As well as substituting for other symbols, it also gives you a multiplier of x1 to x3, depending on which type of wild coin appears. These wilds can only land on reels two or four, but if you land two in a single spin they multiple by each other. It means it’s possible to receive a maximum multiplier of x27.
Athena’s favourite bird, the owl, is the scatter, and if you land three, you will trigger free spins. These owls can appear anywhere on the reels and depending on their position, provide a maximum potential payout of x500. You will receive 12 freespins, and these can’t be retriggered. However, during the free spins, any wilds you land will be sticky. They will remain in position for as long as their multiplier lasts, reducing by one per spin.
Without wanting to risk the wrath of the goddess herself, this online slot isn’t the most complex around. If you prefer your games to be packed with features, you can find some of the best online slots here. However, that doesn’t mean that Rise of Athena is without charm. If you’re persistent, you could hit big prizes, and there’s a top potential payout of x5000 which could persuade you to stick around. This slot will be popular with Play ‘n Go fans, and anyone who enjoys slots which aren’t too busy.