Lord Merlin and the Lady of the Lake: Slot Overview

Play’n GO builds on its 2019 Arthurian title Rise of Merlin with Lord Merlin and the Lady of the Lake. At its heart, it returns to the familiar ‘Book of’ formula with expanding special symbols, but a handful of new touches help it feel like more than just a repeat. Lord Merlin and the Lady of the Lake confidently carries on the legacy of this style of slot, making it an appealing pick for anyone who enjoys high volatility, big upside, and the classic expanding-symbol mechanic.

Lord Merlin and the Lady of the Lake shifts the tale away from the first game’s wintry backdrop to a scenic outdoor scene. The 5×3 grid sits in front of gnarled trees by the water, lily pads scattered across the surface, and a bright blue sky that sells the classic English-day atmosphere. Hidden beneath the lake is the enigmatic Lady, famed for gifting Arthur the sword Excalibur—also the name of one of the game’s new features.

Playable on any device, the game lets players choose stakes from 1 p/c (one payline) up to $/€100 per spin, and, if preferred, set playlines anywhere from 1 to 10 for a properly old-school feel. As with paylines, the RTP is also adjustable, so it’s worth checking you’re on the best configuration; the default is 96.2%. Volatility is high, so swings can be sharp—well suited to the above-average win potential typical of this format.

Standard payouts land when three or more low symbols or at least two premium symbols connect on a payline starting from the first reel. On the reels, low pays are the 10-A card royals, while the higher symbols are a crest, a hat, a staff, and Merlin himself as the top premium. Pay values are strong, with five-of-a-kind premium lines paying 75 to 1,000 times your stake. Merlin matches the Lady’s value, and the Lady is wild. Beyond her coin value, she can replace any regular symbol to help complete winning combinations.

Lord Merlin and the Lady of the Lake: Slot Features

As expected, expanding special symbols take centre stage once free spins begin. They trigger when 3, 4, or 5 scatters appear, awarding 8 spins plus a payout of 1x, 10x, or 100x your bet respectively. Rather than sticking with a single special symbol for the entire round, a different one is randomly selected on each free spin. When enough special symbols land to create a win, they expand to cover all positions on their reel. These expanding symbols pay across all active ways, from any position, whether adjacent or not.

While free spins are running, sword scatters are changed into wild scatters, allowing them to substitute for other symbols. If 2 or more wild scatters are visible, each one grants 1 Excalibur Spin. The key change here is that the special symbol from the triggering free spin remains set throughout all Excalibur spins. Also, landing 2 or more wild scatters will retrigger the feature, with no fixed cap on how many times it can be reactivated.

Depending on the special expanding symbol awarded, here’s the maximum potential of each symbol:

The last added element is a gamble option that appears after wins, letting you try to increase their worth. The aim is to choose the right colour or suit to double or quadruple (or nothing ) your payout. You can gamble up to five times in a row, or up to 2,500 coins.

Lord Merlin and the Lady of the Lake: Slot Verdict

One area where Play’n GO consistently delivers—among several others—is the ‘Book of’ slot format. Lord Merlin and the Lady of the Lake keeps that standard high, standing as another top-tier entry in the genre. Yes, the market is packed with ‘Book of’ games, but Play’n GO releases tend to separate themselves, each for its own reasons. Much of that reputation stems from the benchmark set by Book of Dead, which helped shape the category. With Lord Merlin and the Lady of the Lake, there are multiple reasons it may be the one players choose over the many alternatives.

For one, it isn’t set in Egypt. There’s nothing wrong with taking a ‘Book of’ slot back to its roots, but variety is always welcome. The setting Play’n GO went with is undeniably charming, with the familiar Arthur, Merlin, and Lady of the Lake legend adding a strong sense of intrigue. True to form, the studio has delivered attractive visuals, slick animation, and effects that suit the theme.

Gameplay is another highlight, sitting noticeably above much of the competition, even if it mirrors Cat Wilde and the Lost Chapter. For anyone hunting huge hits, the potential alone is enough to justify giving it a few spins. With the top premium paying double what you’ll find in titles like Book of Dead or the original Rise of Merlin, single-spin wins of 10,000 times the bet can happen. That number is also the game’s overall max potential. Adding to the positives, the max win was recorded at roughly once every 2.37 million spins, which is a long way from the billions—or even hundreds of billions—often quoted.

Sure, it can feel like ‘Cat Wilde and the Lost Chapter by a Lake’, but that doesn’t prevent Lord Merlin from being another very entertaining release from Play’n GO. It’s a strong follow-up to the medieval flavour of Rise of Merlin, raising the stakes across the board. If you’re after a highly volatile ‘Book’ slot with huge potential and a smart twist on the formula, taking on this Lord or Lady is an easy recommendation.