Athena Ascending

For those that haven't heard of Athena, she is the Goddess of war in Ancient Greek Mythology. This release centres around her, with a variety of other related symbols thrown into the mix for good measure. A majestic temple can be seen in the background of this slot, alongside a selection of shrubs that surround the board. Athena Ascending also features an array of smooth animations and unique sound effects to accompany different combinations!

It's perhaps no surprise that this slot is considered to be the sequel to Rise of Athena, with both games being released by Play'n Go. There are a lot of similarities between the two. However, Athena Ascending certainly has a more modern appearance. Of course, Play'n Go has also produced various other titles, including big-name slots such as Bull in a Rodeo, Mega Don, and Thunder Screech.

The usual 10, J, Q, K, and A can all be found in Athena Ascending, with these symbols seamlessly matching the theme. Next, there is a map, a vase, a helmet, a Pegasus, and Athena herself. These can award players with up to 2x, 3x, 4x, 5x, or 50x their stake size, respectively. It's also worth mentioning that only 2 Athena symbols are needed to form a combination, with all other icons requiring a minimum of 3.

Athena Ascending has two special symbols, the first of which is the scatter, shown as an owl. The scatter icon can trigger the main bonus mode, which is explained in the section below. Finally, there are golden coins that act as the wild symbols!

The first bonus feature in Athena Ascending revolves around the wild icons. Should these appear on any of the reels, a 1x, 2x, 3x, or 4x multiplier will be associated with each. If more than one wild symbol forms a combination, the corresponding multipliers will be multiplied together, before being applied to the potential winnings. The maximum total multiplier for each spin sits at 64x.

Athena Ascending also has a free spins mode, which can be triggered if 3, 4, or 5 scatter icons appear simultaneously in any position. While landing more than three scatter icons does not award additional free spins, they can award 1x, 20x, or 500x the stake size, respectively. Players start this round with five free spins, with any wild symbols locking in place. 

After each spin has concluded, the multiplier associated with any wilds will increase by 1x. This continues until the wild reaches a total of 4x, with them being removed from play after the following spin. Like in the base game, these multipliers will be multiplied together before being applied to any potential winnings, if more than one is part of a combination. Should any wilds remain on the board after the five free spins have concluded, respins will be awarded until they disappear from the board. When there are no more wilds left, the round will end. It's also worth mentioning that this mode cannot be retriggered.

This slot offers a refreshing take on the original Rise of Athena. It's clear that a lot of work has been put into the visuals of Athena Ascending, with high-quality symbols and intricate animations being added in abundance. Finally, the bonus mode can award additional respins, should one or more wild be present at the end of the round!