Eye of Atum: Slot Overview

Eye of Atum is an online slot from software provider Play’n GO that blends two things the studio is well known for. The first is Play’n GO’s long-running fascination with Ancient Egypt; the second is expanding symbols. That said, despite the “of” in the name, Eye of Atum isn’t a Book of Ra-type game. Rather, it’s essentially a take on Merkur’s classic Eye of Horus, meaning only the wilds do the expanding here. To compensate for the lack of expanding regular symbols, the free spins round includes a useful symbol upgrade mechanic. It can be pretty effective, but this isn’t a huge Play’n GO banger. In fact, Eye of Atum feels underpowered, which is unfortunate because the underwhelming stats don’t make up for the rather ordinary presentation. Let’s dig in.

Visually, Eye of Atum is, frankly, quite plain. That stands out even more given the studio’s reputation for producing striking-looking slots. As expected, there’s a slight land-based vibe to the design, along with a nod to earlier titles such as Book of Dead. The most memorable thing about Eye of Atum is how little it tries to stand out. In some belief systems, Atum is described as the first god, self-created and responsible for bringing other gods into existence—though not everyone agrees. Either way, the slot pays tribute by placing Atum on the wild symbol, which also drives Eye of Atum’s best moments.

Play’n GO may be known for big, heavy-hitting Egypt-themed slots, but Eye of Atum isn’t really among them. The 2,000x potential is modest, even though it’s paired with a fairly volatile math model, rated 7 out of 10. Since Eye of Atum is available in multiple configurations, it’s worth checking the RTP, which reaches 96.2% at the default setting. It runs on desktop and mobile, with stakes ranging from 10 p/c to $/€100.

The game uses a 5×3 layout with 10 payline mechanics, paying for left-to-right matches starting from reel 1. The lower-paying symbols are the J-A card royals, while the higher-paying symbols are five familiar Ancient Egypt icons commonly seen in slot games. A five-of-a-kind with low-value symbols returns 10x the bet, increasing to 20 to 50 times the stake for five premium symbols on a payline. Wilds can appear on reels 2, 3, or 4 and expand on landing to fill every position on their reel. Their main role is to substitute for paying symbols to help form winning combinations.

Eye of Atum: Slot Features

You could blink and miss what Eye of Atum offers, as the feature set is pretty light. Alongside the expanding wilds, there’s a bonus round triggered by landing 3, 4, or 5 scatter symbols, which awards 12 free spins plus a win of 2, 20, or 500x the bet, respectively. During free spins, wild symbols still expand as they do in the base game, but they also upgrade the lowest-value premium symbol currently on the reels to the next symbol up on the paytable. With enough wilds landing, it’s possible to upgrade all premium symbols to the top-value icon for the remainder of the feature. On top of that, landing 1, 2, or 3 wild symbols in a single spin awards 1, 2, or 5 extra free spins, respectively. The total number of free spins available is capped at 150.

Eye of Atum: Slot Verdict

This one gives the impression Play’n GO didn’t fully commit. Eye of Atum’s no-frills gameplay could suit players looking for something uncomplicated, and—at a push—fans of Egyptian slots might enjoy seeing an alternative spin on Merkur’s Eye of Horus (which likely explains the release). Still, it comes with a few drawbacks you don’t typically associate with a Play’n GO title, and that could put off both newcomers and long-time fans. The main problems are the limited potential and the bland visuals. More often than not, Play’n GO reviews involve impressive win figures paired with polished graphics. Here, Eye of Atum never really grabbed attention and remained fairly subdued throughout.

Being charitable, players who love Eye of Horus-style mechanics may be tempted by Eye of Atum’s expanding wild and symbol-upgrade behaviour. The wild is easily the standout element. If the ideal situation happens and all premium symbols get upgraded to the top icon, the prospect of landing strong wins on most spins is genuinely appealing. The issue is that the maximum win in Eye of Atum is restricted to 2,000x the bet. With a higher ceiling, the game would feel more justified, but the low potential, plain look, and narrow gameplay combine into a slot that only just stays on the right side of average.

That’s a real shame, because the expanding wild that upgrades pay symbols is a strong idea. It’s a mechanic players have enjoyed in other Eye of Horus games for years. If Play’n GO had simply been more generous with the payouts, Eye of Atum might not feel like you’re accepting a second-rate option.