Chronicles of Olympus II – Hades: Slot Overview
Games Global’s partner, Alchemy Gaming, has expanded its Chronicles of Olympus series with its latest installment, Chronicles of Olympus II – Hades, following the previous entry, Chronicles of Olympus II – Zeus. This new game maintains many of the features found in its predecessor, including the gameplay objective of achieving a high multiplier to enhance wins during free spins, with the notable addition of a new Diamond X-Up symbol. While the gameplay mechanics remain largely unchanged, the transition from Zeus to Hades introduces a visual overhaul. The game continues to impress with high-quality graphics; this time, the setting is a fiery, rocky underworld, beautifully complemented by meticulously crafted character symbols and a dramatic soundtrack. This attention to detail proves that Greek mythology, despite being a familiar theme in the slot game industry, can still be leveraged to create captivating and visually stunning games when executed with finesse.
In the latest edition of the Chronicles of Olympus series, Chronicles of Olympus II – Hades, the game mechanics and statistical aspects remain largely consistent with its predecessors. This installment continues to operate on a 5-reel, 1,024-ways-to-win format, a departure from the original game’s 5×3 grid and 243 ways to win. Despite being a highly volatile slot, the default Return to Player (RTP) has been slightly adjusted to 96.05%. Betting options range from 20 cents to $/€50 per spin, with a hit frequency of 25.33% on the default RTP model.
The gameplay emphasizes the “ways to win” mechanic over traditional paylines, awarding payouts when matching symbols appear on the leftmost reel and continue across at least three consecutive reels. The payout for a combination of five low-paying symbols (ranging from 10 to Ace) varies from 0.8 to 1.2 times the bet. Conversely, landing five matching high-paying character symbols results in a win of 1.6 to 4 times the stake. Furthermore, wild symbols, which can appear on all reels, not only substitute for regular pay symbols but can also amplify wins with multipliers of x2, x3, or x5 when part of a winning combination, making for potentially lucrative outcomes.
Chronicles of Olympus II – Hades: Slot Features
Chronicles of Olympus II – Hades enriches its gameplay with a suite of bonus features, including the X-Up feature, free spins, the Upsizer option, and a bonus buy option, each adding layers of excitement and potential for big wins.
Scatters: The game incorporates three types of scatter symbols. Red scatters can appear on all reels during the base game and on the leftmost and rightmost reels during free spins. Blue scatters show up on the leftmost and rightmost reels in the base game but are absent in free spins. The new diamond scatter is present on the leftmost and rightmost reels in both the base game and free spins.
X-Up Feature: Adjacent to the reels, a trail displays various multiplier values, with one highlighted as the active multiplier. Landing two red scatters awards an X-Up token, gradually unlocking higher multipliers on the trail. Two blue scatters in the base game enhance one multiplier level permanently, starting from the highest value. Once the entire trail turns blue, landing two blue scatters again doubles the top multiplier to x25. The introduction of diamond scatters adds a twist; landing two in the base game activates free spins and grants the highest current X-Up multiplier.
Free Spins: Triggering free spins requires landing 3, 4, or 5 red scatters, rewarding the player with 8 free spins and the active X-Up multiplier, plus a bet multiplier of 2x, 20x, or 100x, respectively. During free spins, two red scatters add two more spins and an X-Up token, while two diamond scatters provide the highest X-Up multiplier and two additional spins. After free spins conclude, X-Up tokens reset, and no tokens can be collected when the maximum free spins multiplier is active.
Upsizer: Upon triggering free spins, players have the option to pay for a higher multiplier level for the duration of the free spins, with any previously collected X-Up tokens reducing the cost of this upgrade.
Bonus Buy: For players eager to dive straight into the action, the free spins round with an x25 multiplier can be purchased for 200 times the bet. Note that during purchased free spins, X-Up tokens are not collectible, focusing the feature on immediate, high-stakes play.
Chronicles of Olympus II – Hades: Slot Verdict
Chronicles of Olympus II – Hades presents itself as a continuation in a series where Alchemy Gaming seems to have settled into a comfortable rhythm, iterating on a successful formula without making groundbreaking changes. This isn’t to imply that the game is a lackluster effort; on the contrary, it carries the visual and thematic excellence seen in its predecessors. The game’s design and setting are steeped in mythological grandeur, showcasing Alchemy Gaming’s prowess in creating visually appealing slots with engaging artwork and sound.
However, when it comes to gameplay innovation, Chronicles of Olympus II – Hades might leave something to be desired for those seeking something new. The mechanics and features largely mirror those of the previous installment, with the notable addition of the diamond scatter. This new element allows players to potentially activate free spins with the highest available multiplier after landing two diamond scatters, though the frequency of such occurrences remains uncertain due to a lack of detailed information in the game’s documentation.
Interestingly, the game deviates from the original Chronicles of Olympus X-UP, which featured a top multiplier of x50 and did not require blue scatters for level advancements. Additionally, the maximum win potential has been adjusted to 5,000x the stake, a significant reduction from the original game’s 50,000x, sparking debate over the realism of achieving such wins.
In essence, while Chronicles of Olympus II – Hades may not represent a major evolution from its immediate predecessor, Chronicles of Olympus II – Zeus, it remains a solid entry in the mythology-themed slot genre. Despite some areas for potential improvement, the game stands as a testament to Alchemy Gaming’s ability to produce visually stunning and engaging slots.