The Emperor’s Curse

The Emperor's Curse, designed by the renowned gaming studio Zeus Play, is an online slot game that invites players to embark on a captivating journey to ancient Japan. Released with much anticipation, this game promises a seamless blend of exquisite graphics, immersive sound effects, and an intriguing storyline that centres around the legendary curse of an ancient Japanese emperor. Mechanically, this game is played on a five-reel matrix with 20 pay lines and an RTP of 96%. The volatility rating for this game has been revealed as in the medium to high range. Finally, The Emperor's Curse is available to play on mobile, desktop and tablet platforms.

The Emperor’s Curse Overview

This game also comes with a variety of bonus features. These begin with the wild icon represented by the intense-looking Japanese man with red eyes. When these symbols appear on the reels, they substitute for other regular icons to help players find more wins. Wilds in this game also award re-spins. The next bonus feature in this game is the free spins round. This is triggered when players land three or more bonus scatter icons on the board simultaneously. The more scatters you land as part of this combination, the more free spins you earn. Wilds in the free spins game also expand and award re-spins. Finally, there is the imperial bonus game; filling the imperial counter with wilds triggers a free spin game with ten free spins and an active 4x multiplier. All features will be explained in more detail late on in the review.

The Emperor's Curse Theme and Symbols

The first thing that strikes one about The Emperor's Curse is its visually stunning design. Zeus Play has truly outdone itself with the level of attention to detail in crafting the game's symbols, background, and user interface. The backdrop is an awe-inspiring portrayal of an ancient Japanese palace, complete with vibrant colours and intricate artwork. The symbols on the reels, including the Emperor himself, a range of Samurai warriors and other culturally relevant items, are beautifully illustrated, enhancing the game's overall aesthetics. Furthermore, the game's interface is user-friendly, making navigation and gameplay a breeze for both novices and experienced players.

The background for this game is a depiction of a beautiful walkway that crosses a placid lake. The scene is shrouded in a thick mist, adding a layer of mystery to the atmosphere. Beyond the walkway is a valley, on each side of which rise mighty stone peaks, the morning light glinting on their sharp mirror-like faces. As you play the game, you'll also notice a shadowy figure crossing the bridge. From the details of the silhouette, one can make out that this person may be a geisha in traditional garb holding a light bamboo umbrella. The playing board for this game has been designed to look like a red Japanese pagoda with slanted eaves.

The symbols are split into low-paying, high-paying and special symbols. The low-paying symbols are the four Japanese characters in blue, green, red and orange. The more valuable icons, however, are the four intense masks, each with a different personality. The most valuable regular icon is the Geisha mask. The specials in this game comprise the wild and the scatter.

Game Play

The Emperor's Curse is played on a 5-reel, 3-row machine with 20 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 The Emperor's Curse is 10p to £20 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 slots free online is rated in the medium to high range. The return-to-player percentage for The Emperor's Curse is 96%, which is average. The biggest payout that players can win on one spin is 40,000x the stake.

The Emperor's Curse Features

In The Emperor's Curse, players are in for a treat with a variety of bonus features that add excitement and potential big wins to their gameplay experience.

Wild Icon and Re-Spins: The intense-looking Japanese man with red eyes serves as the wild icon in the game. When players land these wild symbols on the reels, they play a crucial role in increasing the chances of winning. The wilds act as substitutes for other regular symbols, allowing players to complete winning combinations that they might have missed otherwise. This feature greatly enhances the gameplay by frequently helping players secure wins during their spins. Furthermore, when the wild icons appear on the reels, they don't just stop at substituting for other symbols. They also trigger a fantastic bonus feature called re-spins. This means that after the initial spin, if one or more wilds are present on the reels, they remain locked in place, and the rest of the reels spin again for free. The re-spins can continue if more wilds land during the re-spin, potentially leading to a chain reaction of wins.

Free Spins Round: The free spins round is one of the most coveted features in any slot game, and The Emperor's Curse does not disappoint in this aspect. To activate the free spins round, players need to land three or more bonus scatter icons anywhere on the reels simultaneously. The scatter symbols in this game are represented by golden coins. The number of free spins awarded depends on how many scatter symbols are part of the triggering combination. The more scatters that players land, the more free spins they earn. This aspect adds an element of anticipation and excitement to the gameplay, as players hope to see multiple scatter symbols on the reels to trigger a substantial number of free spins. During the free spins game, the wilds play an even more significant role. Not only do they act as substitutes and trigger re-spins as in the base game, but they also expand to cover entire reels. When a wild expands, it significantly increases the chances of forming multiple winning combinations on a single spin.

Imperial Bonus Game: The imperial bonus game is the pinnacle of bonus features in The Emperor's Curse. To unlock this special round, players need to fill the imperial counter with wild symbols. It is unclear from the provided text how many wilds are required to trigger this feature, but once it is achieved, the game rewards players with a thrilling free spin game. Upon triggering the imperial bonus game, players are granted ten free spins, already setting the stage for an exciting and potentially lucrative round. Additionally, the free spins in this feature come with an active 4x multiplier, meaning that all wins achieved during these spins will be multiplied by four. The combination of free spins, the 4x multiplier, and the presence of expanding wilds creates an environment of immense potential for significant wins. Players will undoubtedly be eagerly anticipating the imperial bonus game during their gameplay sessions, as it presents an opportunity to amass substantial rewards.

Conclusion

In conclusion, The Emperor's Curse by Zeus Play is an exceptional online slot game that effortlessly transports players to ancient Japan, immersing them in its rich cultural heritage and mythical tales. The outstanding graphics, captivating sound effects, and innovative features make it a standout title in the world of online slots. Whether you are an enthusiast of ancient civilizations or simply seeking an entertaining and rewarding gaming experience, this slot game will not disappoint. You can also play Gonzo’s Quest without any registration.