Cygnus 2

ELK Studios released the first instalment of Cygnus around three years ago. And, after it faired well in terms of its popularity, it led to a sequel being made. What ELK are attempting to do with Cygnus 2 is take the good things from the original release and build on them by adding a couple of new components to the equation.

In terms of the game itself, it’s a sort of mash-up of themes as it draws inspiration from a couple of areas, the first being Ancient Egypt. Quite similar to their previous release Mystic Orbs. It’s a common source of inspiration for slots, and it always appears to go down well with punters. There are also stars and constellations involved too, which keeps things interesting.

What also keeps things interesting is that the action gets underway with a six-reel game area on show that has a stunning 4,096 ways to win across it. However, there is the potential for the latter to rise from 4,096 to a whopping 262,144, which players will lap up.

And, if that wasn’t enough, some excellent features will add tons of excitement to proceedings, and what about a potential top prize of 50,000x the bet? The betting range of 0.20 to 100.00 also means that everyone has the chance to get in on the act.

As we mentioned above, the theme is somewhat of a couple of ideas being merged together to create something unique. You can't really complain about that because it's always enjoyable to play something fresh. And this transfers from the game's theme, which is Ancient Egypt meeting stars, constellations and an observatory, to the icons that appear.

The symbols on show are, in the main, made up of gemstones. And they come in all different cuts and colours, so they’re easy to tell apart. Then there are other icons, which show images such as the sun, lions, goats and scorpions. It’s a good mix of symbols, which all appear spherical in a Tetris-style approach to the gameplay.

When winning combinations are found on the reels in Cygnus 2, it will trigger the Avalanche mechanic. When this happens, the icons involved in the combination are removed, and new ones fall into place. However, what’s also key is that when this feat occurs, it’s possible for chains of wins to come into play, with an extra row of symbols added each time. So, this is where having 262,144 ways to win can become a reality.

How the game sets up in terms of it not being a standard slot in how it plays, everything will rely on specific icons appearing in certain positions. For example, if a multiplier wild lands on the first reel, it can boost winnings by up to 10x the stake. Punters can also get their hands on some free spins too, with seven up for grabs. However, for this to happen, they will need a bonus icon to make its way to reel 1.

When a developer releases a sequel, you want it to be bigger and better than the original in as many areas as possible. And ELK Studios succeeded in their quest by delivering a massive game area, a chance to collect a top payout, improved graphics and even more exciting features. But, they also stuck with what made Cygnus the game what it is, in terms of how the game is set up and how it plays out, which is sure to be a positive for those who enjoyed the original release.