Rise of the Empress Slot
Not another Asian slot game I hear you say! Well, I get it, this is by far the most popular, and some would say over-populated area of the online slot universe, with almost all game manufacturers having some sort of offering present, with that, here is Genesis Gaming’s take on this classic theme.
Give the devil his due, Genesis are known for staying up to date with the latest features and innovations, so despite what may appear to be a tired theme, we do have to give them the benefit of the doubt if they can manage to make the gameplay and effects worth our while.
If, of course, you are an Asian slot fan, as many people are, then you won’t mind one bit that there is another game out there in the field for you to enjoy, let’s check out Rise of the Empress and see if it has anything to offer old or new players.
Theme
As when Genesis took on the Ancient Egyptian Genre with their Temple of Luxor slot game, they do seem keen to show they can stand out in the crowd, Rise of the Empress impresses from the start with great graphics and stunning audio effects. Whether you are playing the base game set in a south-east Asian island jungle chain or the free spins round on a moonlit lake, it really is a delight to watch.
The icons are extremely well drawn too with the low pay playing card symbols done in a Chinese style font and the character of the Empress herself, shown in various stages of her rise to power, is so well produced that it is almost photographic, rivalling the CGI level of many modern movies.
The golden dragon wild is a nice touch, and the effects when it expands are excellent, in all honesty, even without the great features and gameplay options on the game, it would still rank pretty well just as a 5 reel slot game.
Gameplay & Features
Here is where the action really becomes epic, whist the 5x3 reel format and 25 pay-lines may not seem the most innovative of structures, it is familiar and easy to play and in this title purely forms a solid base for all the extra feature fun, which starts with the reel re-spins option, borrowed from Microgaming who were the first to introduce it, this doesn’t come at a cost in this game, instead it is a reward.
Line up either a four or five of a kind win and the last reel will re-spin, allowing you another chance at hooking up a big combination. Whilst this would be pretty good on it’s own, the re-spin also comes with a 3x multiplier, land a further combination and you re-trigger the re-spin, with a 4x multiplier, and so on, until you fail to connect.
In addition to the re-spin combinations, you can also land a koi on the 5th reel to grant one of three extra feature bonuses, starting with the Royal pick feature, where you select from one of three golde treasure chests for an instant credit prize. Your second available bonus is the wild feature where two reels from the middle three will turn into expanded wild symbols for a further free spin.
The last of the bonuses on the re-spin feature is also available in the base game, this is the familiar free spins round available on so many modern slot games, what makes it special is that all of the extra bonuses available on the base game reels also apply during the free spins round also.
Summary
Genesis have come up with a worthy addition to the ever growing array of Asian slot games out there on the market today. By combining stunning graphics and audio effects with great gameplay they have produced a slot which is highly immersive and entertaining. One question does linger over the payout potential, there is no doubt it is huge, but as when you win big, you win really big due to the extra feature combinations, are there going to be enough smaller win combinations before your patience runs out?
