Gates of Etherea

Gates of Etherea Overview

Like many of the big iGaming studios, Blueprint Gaming has smaller or sibling studios that also exist within the same company to make special or boutique games. This is the relationship between Blueprint Gaming and Lucksome, their sister producers. Lucksome has created something really quite different from the usual classically-themed three-by-three game here, Gates of Etherea. Indeed, this game really has quite the level of innovation. Mechanically this game comes in a 3-4-5-4-3 format and has 720 pay lines. The RTP here sits at 96.05%, and the volatility rating is very high. This game is available across platforms.

The features of this game starts with a bonus called portal pays. This bonus is triggered by landing four or more portal symbols on the board simultaneously. This triggers an instant scatter pay award. Players can win instant cash payouts of up to 5,000x the stake using this bonus. The other main feature in this game is the free spins game activated when players land enough portal symbols on the board to fill up a progression meter and awaken the guardians at the sides of the playing board. The free spins game comes with charged wilds and charged multipliers as well as a higher density of high-paying symbols. All features will be explained in more detail later in the review.

Gates of Etherea Theme and Symbols

The theme for this game is quite original, but at its heart is inspired by the iconography and religion of the ancient Egyptian people. However, in addition to this strong Egyptian theme, there is also this incorporation of magic portals which we guess are the gates to Etheria. As for what or where Etherea is, the best we can come up with is that it is a magical world where you are transported to after death, a little like heaven where you can meet the various gods of the Egyptian religion. Whatever the idea behind this magical theme, it is carried off with a high-quality finish. The background for this game is a desert at night. At ground level is an immense desert which stretches out into the distance, lit by the moon’s ethereal glow. Above the reels is an infinite cosmos full of beautiful stars, planets, and faraway galaxies. To the right and left of the playing board are two bronzed sphinxes in the guise of a female goddess or Queen. These statues are rendered in excellent detail. They even turn into real women in an exciting transformation sequence once you activate the free spins. The playing board for this game is an unusually formatted free-floating collection of symbols inside a swirling vortex of sand which constitutes the portal.

The symbols are split into low-paying, high-paying and special symbols. The low-paying icons are various shapes in purple, blue, green, orange, and red. The most valuable one of these is the red gem/shape. The more valuable icons, however, are the amulet, ring, box, male character, and female character. The female character is the most valuable high-paying icon. The specials for this game comprise the golden W wilds and the portal free spin scatters, which obviously trigger the free spins.

Game Play

Gates of Etherea is played on a 3-4-5-4-3 format board with 720 fixed pay lines. To win combinations, players must land three or more matching symbols on pay lines moving from left to right, starting from the leftmost reel. The betting range for Gates of Etherea is 25p to £200 per spin. To adjust their bet levels, players can toggle their stakes up and down using the tool located at the bottom left-hand side of the screen. Further information, including a short tutorial and a display of the paytable, can be found via the menu button in the right-hand corner of the screen. The spin and auto spin buttons are located in the centre of the screen. Volatility for this slot is rated in the high range. The return to player percentage for Gates of Etherea is 96.05%, which is just above average. The biggest payout that players can win on one spin is 5,000x your stake.

Gates of Etherea Features

The first feature in this game is the portal pays bonus. This bonus is triggered when players land four or more of the portal symbols on the reels simultaneously. This will result in an immediate scatter pays award, which grows for every scatter landed.

The next feature in this game is the wild bonus. This bonus concerns the wild icons, which in this game substitute for all other symbols barring the scatter to help score more wins.

The main bonus here, however, is the free spins game. To trigger this feature, players need to wake the guardians. This is accomplished by collecting scatters as you progress through the base game. Collect enough scatters, and the guardians’ eyes will open, and the free spins round will follow. In this new round, more charged wilds will be available, and a range of wild multipliers which boost the resulting payouts when part of wins. Players can also retrigger the feature by landing an additional ten scatters within the bonus game. Finally, this game does have a bonus buy option. However, it is not available in the UK.

Conclusion

Very high-quality visuals and excellent graphics make this game immediately attractive. However, when you start playing this game, you become aware of its true value. The game offers a good RTP and a nice top prize. Plus, the features add a welcome variety to the gameplay and provide more chances to score bigger wins. Overall, this is a great slots online uk created by Lucksome. Try also Buffalo, a fun demo game full of bonus.