Valley of the Gods 2: Overview

Light those torches again, because it’s time to return to the sand-swept world of Ancient Egypt. This isn’t just a casual getaway for some sunshine, though. We’re here to put the sequel to one of Yggdrasil’s flagship releases through its paces. The original, Valley of the Gods, launched in 2017 and became a major success thanks to its distinctive design and highly playable format. Several years on, Yggdrasil Gaming is back with Part 2. Does it live up to the name? Let’s find out.

It only takes a moment to see that Yggdrasil has rebuilt the format from the ground up. Tweaking a proven formula is always a gamble, but here the adjustments land extremely well. Rather than the original 5-reel rectangle, the sequel uses 6 reels with expandable rows that begin in a 1-2-3-4-5-2 configuration. Around the active area sit scarab-styled blocker tiles, creating a sideways pyramid-style shape.

On the left side of the reels you’ll find three modifier meters, while the backdrop shows pyramids and palm trees shimmering in the heat. The music shifts smoothly between calmer and more energetic moments to suit the pace, and the deep, bassy effects add a lot to the overall sensory feel. When it comes to delivering a polished mythological/historical theme, Yggdrasil Gaming is hard to beat.

With stakes from 25 p/c to $/€125 on any device, the game also comes with a slightly improved RTP of 96.3%, while volatility has been pushed to a medium/high level. Having only one symbol position on the first reel might sound restrictive, but a hit rate of 20% suggests roughly 1 in 5 spins should pay something in theory.

Wins are formed by connecting three or more matching symbols from left to right. There are no traditional paylines—symbols simply need to be adjacent starting from the first reel to count. In the default state, that works out to 240 win ways, rising to 20,160 once every blocker has been cleared. How that happens is explained in the features section below.

Before that, let’s look at the pay table’s standard symbols, which total 10. The first 6 are 9-A royals, while the remaining 4 are the gods Anubis, Horus, Sobek, and Bastet. Bastet, the cat god, sits at the top, paying 20x the stake for six of a kind. There’s no standard wild symbol, although a wild reel can be triggered through the feature set.

Valley of the Gods 2: Features

Valley of the Gods 2 packs in several features that feed into each other. In other words, one small event can set everything in motion. Here, it all starts with any win. When a win lands, scarabs burst from the combination and smash blocker tiles. The amount removed matches the number of symbols involved in the win. A respin is also awarded, and if the respin produces another win, the same sequence continues.

Once every blocker tile has been cleared, you receive an extra life and the three collection modifiers switch on. From that point, wins send different coloured scarabs from the winning symbols into the modifier meters. Every 5 red scarabs grant 1 extra life, every 5 blue scarabs raise the win multiplier by +1, and 5 golden scarabs activate a wild reel that lands on a random reel. Wild reels stay where they are until the next win happens or until the respins finish.

If a respin lands without a win, one life is spent to continue the feature. When no lives remain and no new wins appear, the respins stop. After that, the grid returns to its default setup and play continues.

Valley of the Gods 2: Verdict

Anyone who enjoyed the original can relax—this sequel delivers the same strengths, and in many ways improves on them. The elements that made Part 1 so engaging are either preserved or upgraded, making this a genuinely strong follow-up. The blocker-clearing mechanic gives Valley of the Gods 2 a clear sense of progression, and once the grid opens up, it really has room to build momentum.

It also has that powerful “one more spin” pull, because after you’ve seen what can happen from a single trigger, it’s tough not to keep chasing it. Think of those huge domino setups where one nudge causes a wild cascade. In a similar way, the game can roll into satisfying chains of respins. It begins with removing blockers, stacking up lives, adding multipliers, and—if luck is on your side—dropping in a wild reel or two, all stemming from one spin.

As sequels go, Yggdrasil has made a lot of smart upgrades. The heart of the original remains intact, but the changes make it feel new again. The new Wild Reel is a particularly sharp addition and is easily the toughest modifier to activate. Plenty is different, but not in a way that should deter fans—if anything, going back to the first after playing Part 2 makes the improved gameplay instantly obvious.

That said, Valley of the Gods 2 may feel a bit complex for certain players. It likely won’t be the best match for anyone wanting a straightforward Book-style Egyptian slot, for instance. It can also be frustrating at times. While the respin feature can trigger fairly often (hit frequency of 45.5%), it frequently ends very quickly and without much to show for it.

Overall, Valley of the Gods 2 is an excellent sequel to a flagship slot and should suit a broad audience. Whether you’re a fan of the first game, an Egyptian-theme lover, or simply after something a little more unusual, Valley of the Gods 2 has enough going on to deliver.