Aztec Rising Slot
Central Mexico and the culture of the Aztecs is a subject that many slot providers seem drawn to, with Eyecon being one of many. This popular historical destination is delivered in a 5-reel and 25-winline format, with a bonus round, extra spins and a gamble feature to boot. Eyecon are certainly spoiling us with this game.
Even if ancient civilisations aren’t usually your vibe, you may be able to just look past the subject matter for this slot, due to how adaptable the aesthetic is. There are clear references to the Aztecs, but it could just as easily be taken as a general animal/jungle themed game. You basically make it what you want it to be. That kind of flexibility in design doesn’t come along often.
Check Your Calendar
We haven’t gone mad, at least not yet, but are referring to the calendar symbol on the paytable – a kooky looking emblem steeped in mysticism. Regardless of how abstract the design is, this is your key to unlocking the bonus round, an offering that does more than supply free games.
To be in it to win it, customers need to line up three or more of the icons on an active winline. Thereafter they’ll be asked to select from one of the symbols given, which in turn will provide them with their final prize. In terms of depth, this is a limited and lacklustre feature, however it’s been provided to ensure that you have more diversity with your experience, and so we appreciate the gesture.
Too Old Fashioned
In regards to how easy the game is to play, we’d have to say that the controls are simplistic but are more clunky than they are streamlined; our main issue being the bet widget. You click it and have a menu asking if you want to increase your bet or lower it, followed by a maximum wager option. What’s included isn’t the issue, it’s how it’s presented. It looks terrible and feels too dated for the gameplay delivered here.
Furthermore, when it comes to gambling your wins, you might not even be aware you’ve got the option to play, so subtle is the feature. The button is either pale grey or darker grey, with the latter indicating a gamble can be made. Call us critical, but that just isn’t good enough – features should always be clearly labelled, and make it obvious when you’ve won something. As for the gamble itself, it’s a card game of guessing the right colour, an overdone example of a double or nothing.
Aztecs Are Everywhere
We’d like to also mention the 5 reels of Aztec Empress, a slot created by Casino Technology. Not only is the title more focused in its area of interest, but the theme is a lot less subjective. In fact, some may argue that it’s a little confused in places, due to the time periods it seems to be covering (a bit like the cherry picking of history in Downton Abbey.
This example is a hard volatility one, though not necessarily a high variance offering, and so you may find yourself struggling to keep up your momentum. Out of the two, we’d say that Eyecon have done the better job, but if you like the Aztecs in general, you’ll surely like what Casino Technology offer as well. It’s just a thought.
Moving On
Overall we’d say that Aztec Rising is a pleasant real cash slot to play, but not one we’d return to in a hurry. There’s too much dated technology and gameplay that holds it back, and so our enjoyment becomes stifled. If we could offer any advice to the brand, it would be to improve their control panel and ensure that usability is their top priority in future slot machines. It won’t help for this title, but it could mean their games are much improved in the future.
