Secrets of the Sorcerer

Secrets of the Sorcerer Overview

Secrets of the Sorcerer, developed by iSoftBet, looks like an original Nintendo game from the 90s' created for the handheld Gameboy. The graphics have that intentionally pixelated look that brings back memories of all the classic games from that period, including the various Pokémon games and the Zelda Saga. However, this game is all about magic and fantasy, in the more classic Medieval sense, with potions, dragons, castles and fair maidens. Think Arthur and the Round table. This game has a few choice features and an ever-changing setting that should keep players on their toes from a gameplay perspective too.

There are, in fact, three features in this game. The first is called the Secrets Uncovered feature and is activated at random. When activated, players are guaranteed either entrance to the free spins round or that you will land a big win. The second feature is the Bonus Chance Feature, triggered by landing exactly two bonus symbols on the same spin. The bonus reel is made up of two parts - the red part and the green part. Land the needle in the green part, and you'll trigger the free games bonus feature. Land it in the red part, and you'll lose, and you'll go back to the base game. There is also a free spins bonus. All features will be explained in more detail later on in the review.

Theme and Symbols

As mentioned in the introduction, Secrets of the Sorcerer is a magic-themed game with a retro Nintendo feel. In terms of pure visuals, players will see pure medieval fantasy, a popular aesthetic for entertainment both in slots and all sorts of media. Most medieval themes are vaguely based in a feudal world of knights and Kings and set in Medieval Europe. These themes are usually heavily influenced by the most popular tropes from the classic fantasy literature of Lord of the Rings and Arthur and the Round table. This means dragons, wizards and various treasures of unbelievable value.

The background for this slot in the base game is the exterior of a castle in the same slightly blocky graphics as the rest of the board. The castle seems quite elaborate, with a collection of steeples, guard towers, and archways. However, when you transition to the free spins game, you ascend to one of the highest towers in the castle. This is probably supposed to be a move to where the damsel in distress is assumed to be, hence the game's higher stakes. Here you can see nothing but clear sky on either side of the tower.

The board is a levitating black rectangle decorated with dragon wings and spikey detailing. The interior of the board is very dark and helps the colourful symbols shine in contrast.

The symbols for this game are split into low-paying, high-paying and special symbols. The low-paying symbols are the playing card royals. These include the J, Q, K and A. These are followed by the more lucrative symbols in the feathers, amulets, dragons and sorcerer symbols. These premium symbols are worth anywhere from 5x to 20x the stake for the top combination of 5 symbols on a payline. The most valuable of these is the sorcerer. The specials in this game comprise the potion bottle, which is the bonus scatter and whatever symbol that turns gold in the free spins, which becomes the wild. There is no conventional wild in the base game.

Game Play

Secrets of the Sorcerer is played on a 5-reel, 3-row playing board with 25 fixed pay lines. To create winning combinations in this game, players must land three or more of the same symbol across a pay line from left to right, starting on the leftmost reel.
The betting range for Secrets of the Sorcerer is 25p to as much as £25 per spin. To change your betting level per spin, use the bet adjuster tool located at the bottom of the playing window.

Further information regarding the slot, including a display of the paytable, can be accessed by clicking on the settings menu. The spin button is located to the bottom right of the reels. You can set up auto spins in the game's menu.
The volatility for Secrets of the Sorcerer is rated in the medium range of the spectrum. The return to player percentage for Secrets of the Sorcerer is 95.96%, which is below average. The biggest payout that players can win on one spin is 6,714x your stake.

Features

The first bonus feature included in this game is the Secrets Uncovered feature, triggered entirely at random at any time during the base game. This feature guarantees players either a trigger entrance to the free spins or a big win.

The second feature is the Bonus Chance feature. To activate this bonus, you will have to land precisely two bonus symbols on the board simultaneously. This then gives you a chance at spinning the bonus chance wheel, which is split 50/50 into green and red. If you land the needle in the green, you will trigger the free spins bonus. If it lands in the red, you will return to the base game.

Finally, the main action in this slot comes from the free spins bonus. This feature is triggered in many different ways but is primarily triggered by landing bonus symbols on reels 2, 3 and 4 on the same spin. Once this occurs, you can then click on the triggering symbols to create a 'brew'. Doing so will determine the number of spins that you are awarded.

Creating the brew can also reveal a randomly selected symbol to become wild for the duration of the feature. The wild can also come with an attached multiplier which can help to boost your winnings.
These range from 2x to 5x in size. The wizard is also an important symbol in this game as, when appearing at random on any free spin, he can cast a spell that guarantees you a big win. To reload the free spins from within the game, you must collect additional potion bottles, which are collected in the meter above the reels.

Conclusion

Secrets of the Sorcerer is a promising game with a high-quality theme and graphics, fun features, and a decent top payout. The issues come, however, when you look at the RTP and volatility. This might be a slot for fun and not for profit when weighed logically. This doesn't mean you can't have plenty of fun, but players shouldn't get their hopes up if they think they are going to bring home a jackpot.