Phoenix Reborn slot review (Play’n GO)

Phoenix Reborn is a Play ‘n GO video slot with an Aztec theme, stacked wilds and a free spin bonus

Play ‘n GO  is trying hard to dethrone Netent in 2019 for once and for all and is releasing new online slots at a frantic pace.

Phoenix Reborn is a nice slot that promises a maximum win of 5,000 x the total bet. Perhaps you think this means the variance on this game is high.

We tend to think the variance is closer to medium and that prizes between the 250 x and 500 x are the highest obtainable ones, realistically speaking.

Aztec themes always do well with online slots. For whatever reason, that style works well with adventurous, mysterious slots. Just think of slots like Temple Tumble, Montezuma and Ecuador Gold, for example.

The undisputed star of Phoenix Reborn is the fiery phoenix, a mythical bird that, according to the legend, could rise from its ashes. In this slot, it is responsible for stacked wilds that cover the entire reel.

How does the Phoenix Reborn slot work?

Phoenix Reborn is played on a large playing field with 5 reels and no less than 6 rows of symbols. Often this type of big setup has a cluster pays mechanism, but in this case,  there are 40 fixed paylines.

You play with a fixed bet per spin, which can start as low as $€ 0.20 and go up to $€ 100 per spin.

The theoretical payout rate is 96.5%, which can be considered excellent.

Symbols and payouts

The Phoenix is wild and expands over the entire reel. It is also true that the Phoenix replaces only the regular symbols, not the scatters. Five wilds on an active payline will get you 25 x the total bet. So, a full screen with wilds is worth 25 x 40 = 1,000  x the total bet.

The Aztec warrior and the high priestess are the next best thing. Both of these will pay out starting at 2 of the same symbol, for a gain of 0.05 x the bet.  Five priestesses or warriors on an active payline are good for 10 x and 7.50 x the total bet, respectively. These symbols are stacked.

Play ‘n GO  has chosen some good looking jungle animals for the medium value symbols: the panther, the snake and de toucan. These are worth 3.75 x the bet, with five identical ones.

The low-value symbols consist of card symbols and an Aztec symbol. These pay out 0.75 the bet with 5-of-a-kind. These symbols do not appear in stacks, and therefore it is not possible to win any great prizes with them. They are just filler.

Free spin bonus: win up to 20 free spins with expanding wilds

The Free Spin Bonus is activated by spinning 3, 4 or 5 scatters. These will get you 7, 12, or 20 free spins, respectively.

During the bonus round, with every spin, you will get one entirely wild reel, guaranteed. Often 2 or 3 wilds will drop, and then it is essential where they land on the reels as each one could mean another entirely wild reel.

Earning extra free spins is relatively straightforward: 2 scatters award 3 free spins, and 3 or more of them you receive anywhere from 7 up to 20 additional free spins.

Our verdict on the Phoenix Reborn video slot

Phoenix Reborn is a decent release by Play ‘n GO, but not a top-notch one.

The game lacks depth and is just a bit too simple in its setup.

Graphically they did pull it off; that part is beautifully executed. The fiery phoenix wilds, in particular, make an impression.

Also, the payout rate of 96.50% can be considered excellent.

3.5 out of 5 stars

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