ABOUT
Ancient Egypt is a great in thematic sense for online slots but some might say that there are too many Egyptian slots on the market. Seeing the archaic civilization covered in dust and sand over and over again can be as dull as ditchwater. Tackling the question of what if the Nile Valley people never fell and continued far into the future, Rise of Giza has interesting features like PowerNudge and exciting free spins. This is allowing players to explore the world of mysterious pharaohs in a new and exciting way and compete for the claim of the King's treasures worth 4,000x the bet.
Betting Options and Bonus Features
Rise of Giza is the first of many to shed the old Egyptian looks for something more futuristic, like industrious cog wheels, while at the same time preserving the traditional aesthetics with high-rise pyramids and statues of deities in the background. On the 5-reels, 10-paylines game board, players can spot the various sci-fi-inspired characters of the game, all wearing fitting monocles and avant-garde clothing, paying anywhere from 2.5x to 12x the bet for five of a kind.
Despite the overhaul in appearance, Rise of Giza retains its Pragmatic Play identity by introducing highly volatile gameplay. Combined with the medium-high RTP of 96.49%, the game foreshadows a bumpy ride full of surprises and, hopefully, epic wins. Regardless, players will be battling the odds at winning the jackpot of 4,000x the bet, which is a decent chunk of monetary gain.
The game features the trademarked PowerNudge mechanic from Pragmatic Play. It functions the same way as cascades but with a few minor differences. Whenever players hit a winning combination, every reel containing at least one winning symbol nudges down one notch, and the game continues to pay for every winning combo until no more wins are available.
Tiny Scarab Badges may appear randomly on the symbols of the game and players can collect them through PowerNudge. Once players gather at least 3 Scarab Badges, the game rewards them with 8 Free Spins (with each Scatter beyond the first three awarding an additional +2 Free Spins) and triggers the Free Spins sequence.
The Free Spins bonus round starts with a 1x multiplier, which increases by +1 every time a PowerNudge hits. Additionally, landing Scatters during the bonus event gains players more Free Spins, which adheres to the same rules as the start. Surprisingly, Rise of Giza created a safety net for its bonus round. It guarantees a minimum win of 5x the stake for every entry into Free Spins. And if players can’t reach that amount, the game provides extra Free Spins until they do.
For those who can’t wait to experience the air of steampunk Egypt, a bonus buy-in costing 80x the bet is available for purchase.
Roshtein’s Take
Rise of Giza’s focus is the PowerNudge feature. Although PowerNudge doesn’t rack up insane wins as Megaways models, it hits more consistently and can pay big later. I’ve had many highlights from the game resulting from the generous number of Free Spins. The gameplay, however, yields smaller wins that don't create much excitement most of the time. In general, Rise of Giza isn't my favorite slot, but if you're looking for a laid-back gaming experience, it might be the right choice for you.
