Ancient Fortunes: Zeus (Triple Edge Studios): Review

It’s no secret we’re not particularly fond of Microgaming. And it’s not simply because the studio has been rolling out one disastrous slot after another—the issue runs deeper. After a string of weak releases (there are plenty more where those came from) and the negative reviews that followed, a Microgaming representative responded in a childish way (they appear accustomed to being praised), resorting to name-calling and cutting off contact entirely. Even so, our focus remains the same: we follow our policy and publish unbiased reviews regardless of how poor the company behind the game may be.

Now that the drama is out of the way, let’s get to what matters. Here we have an online slot inspired by Greek mythology—specifically Zeus, the god of thunder. It’s a well-worn theme that has appeared countless times, most notably in William Interactive’s version, plainly titled Zeus. From a modern perspective, Zeus was a strange figure in many respects—married to his sister (Hera), repeatedly unfaithful, and known for punishing men by giving them women (a rather brutal deity). To anyone not versed in Greek mythology, though, he’s simply the cool, muscular superhero tossing lightning bolts. Why he ended up as such a staple of online slots remains unclear.

In this 5-reel, 10-payline Microgaming powered slot developed by Triple Edge Studios, you’ll make use of the Rolling Reels feature, where consecutive wins can build up to a 7x multiplier. The bonus can award up to 70 free spins, and the same feature carries over there too, but with a stronger multiplier progression that can climb as high as 21x. It’s available on all devices with stakes ranging from 0.10 to 70 Eur a spin.

When it comes to visuals, there isn’t much to fault, and it actually looks quite good—more than can be said for many of Microgaming’s other recent releases. Rising through the clouds, you’re welcomed into the heavenly realm of Mount Olympus, the home of the powerful Zeus.

As you spin, you’ll see a set of low-paying symbols shown as snakes, panthers, krakens and vultures. In terms of value, the premium symbols are the following greek gods: Dionysus (god of wine), Poseidon (god of the Sea, earthquakes and horses), Hermes (god of trade, heraldry, merchants, commerce, roads, thieves, trickery, sports, travelers, and athletes) and Ares (god of war). Ares sits at the top and pays 62.5 times your stake for 5 across a full payline. Standing in for all other symbols, Zeus acts as the wild.

Ancient Fortunes: Zeus (Triple Edge Studios): Features

Ancient Fortunes: Zeus is built primarily around the Rolling Reels feature, which lets you land wins in both directions (left to right and right to left). In a Bonanza-style setup, it works as a chain-reaction mechanic: when a winning combination hits, the contributing symbols disappear and new ones drop in to replace them. On top of that, an escalating multiplier is in play, increasing with consecutive wins and reaching up to 7x.

The action improves further when 3, 4 or 5 lightning bolt scatters land on a payline, triggering the free spins feature. You begin with 10, 15 or 20 free spins respectively, and you can retrigger up to a total of 70 free spins. The Rolling Reels feature is active during the bonus as well, with the extra advantage of a higher maximum multiplier that can go up to 21x.

Ancient Fortunes: Zeus (Triple Edge Studios): Verdict

This may be a bit of a stretch, but we can’t ignore how much Zeus feels like a half-hearted attempt to ride the Bonanza trend. The 5×3, 10-payline format is restrictive by nature, and the appealing presentation doesn’t fully compensate for that. On top of this, the gameplay feels jerky and sluggish, coming across more like a take on Gonzo’s Quest.

The medium variance gameplay, paired with fairly underwhelming payouts, doesn’t do much to spark any excitement—aside from frustration—so Ancient Fortunes: Zeus isn’t a slot we can imagine spending much time with, especially given the other cascading options available on the market.