The allure of Ancient Egypt is one of the most popular themes when it comes to slot machine games in casinos around the world, both online and on-site. No wonder the casino industry (from the studios and providers) has a lot of these at their disposal and releases them each time they have a chance, regardless of the gamers’ reactions. 

Pragmatic Play is no stranger to these, with their 2021 product Mysterious Egypt having such characteristics that will lure players to bet and win big at the same time with every spin. 

Setting and graphics 

As it was mentioned before, the game is set in a place where it is starting to become vibrant and dominant, just as the Nile River has started to become a blessing for the people of Ancient Egypt. 

The title itself is a preview of the things to come in this game, with the rewards brought by the said symbols having immense magical powers (apart from their religious significance) that make you not just charmed but also rewarded with real money. 

Two of those symbols, the ankh and the eye of Horus are prominent even in the lower-paying symbols for the keen eye. 

Freshness doesn’t exactly extend to the visuals, which depict a standard 5×3, 10-pay line grid in what must be one of the most common views in video slot machines – the Pyramids of Giza.  

To their credit, Pragmatic Play painted a pretty depiction of the game, especially on mobile, where the player has a Nile’s eye view of the action as if they arrive at the temple from a day’s work on the river with the Pyramids in the background. In its heydays, the monuments in Giza were one of the most beautiful 

Mysterious Egypt Gameplay Features 

If you’ve ever played any of the regular-themed slots in the past you won’t miss much by skipping this section

Pragmatic Play has stuck closely to the master plan by including a triggered round of free spins with specially selected expanding symbols. Yet, there are several modifications you don’t always see in this game. 

These mystery symbols appear in every spin (even when it’s free of charge).  

In the base game, they change for every spin, whichever one is active is displayed in a box above the reels, so you know what to look out for when they turn into gold.  

These symbols may expand vertically to cover all positions on the reels they land on. Even better, they pay from any position, meaning they do not need to be adjacent. Symbol expansions are only triggered if enough of them can get you paid. For example, at least two reels of pyramids, or three low-paying symbols 

One of the most important symbols in any ‘themed’ game is the scatter/wild. In Mysterious Egypt, we get an elaborately styled queen symbol (this was long before the reign of Cleopatra), who had a crown that contained the serpent Uraeus, which was has been the most beautiful and enticing symbol in Egyptian-themed game.  

As the wild, she substitutes any symbol to help complete a winning combination, except expanded symbols. In her scatter duties, 3, 4, or 5 in view award 10 free spins, plus a payout of 2x, 20x, or 200x the bet respectively as the fire alarm bells ring to mark not just the big win, but also to advance into the bonus game. 

In the bonus feature, Mysterious Egypt chooses two expanding symbols instead of one, at random before the free spins began. During free spins, whenever these symbols land they expand, following the rules laid out above for the base game. Free spins can be retriggered the same way they are triggered from the base game.

Apart from the said regular features, you can buy your way towards the free spins to start for 100x of your bet. 

Launch your way to the jackpot 

The RTP of 96.5% is reasonable enough for Mysterious Egypt, given the fact that it had a default playing grid size and a maximum jackpot of more than 5,000x of the wager. 

Despite some feedback, the game can be enjoyed by any playing level, with its simplicity and easy mechanics making it easier for newbie gamers to learn. In other words, the game is a stepping stone for more enticing and rewarding games down the road.