In this Q&A, we met up with Ihor Lozinskiy, Game Producer at Push Gaming to discuss one of the most anticipated slots this year, Razor Returns. The original Razor Shark had players swimming in dangerous and volatile waters in a slot with huge potential, so naturally, players are very excited about the sequel.
Was it always a given that you’d make a Razor Shark sequel given the popularity of Razor Shark, and did you ever think Razor Shark would be as popular as it was?
Making a Razor Shark sequel was basically a matter of time. The concept went through a lot of iterations to become what it is now, and we all are really happy with the result.
I think everyone expects that their game will become a successful hit, but no one knows for sure, because there are a lot of conditions that need to be met, and there is always a factor of being in the right place and at the right time. And now it’s a perfect time and place for another star to shine – Razor Returns.
What can players expect from Razor Returns? Will the features be very similar to the first game? Or have you completely reinvented it?
It’s really hard to build a successful sequel, especially for a such popular game, indeed we went the route of creating something unique and different from the original at the beginning, but eventually, we turned back and decided to focus on the strong parts of the existing mechanics and how to make them more interesting and heart-pounding.
At its core Razor Returns is pretty much the same as the original. The main idea was to increase the overall potential of the original game, so we added some features that all have already been seen and adored in Big Bamboo with some adjustments, unique features, and twists. Also, one of the main changes is that we added a variable starting Total Multiplier to the Bonus Game, so you can start the Bonus Game from a certain point, 1x, 5x, or 25x on the Total Multiplier which you can also gamble up to 100x. Also, we offer a pretty wide range of Bonus Buys, including my favourite, a full-screen Razor Reveal.
Razor Shark was very well received, but it could be rather harsh at times! Will Razor Returns be more forgiving, or is it high risk/high reward?
We couldn’t neglect the legacy of the original game, it is definitely very volatile and the potential is huge – 100,000x max win. In Razor Shark, everybody was hunting big coins 1000x and 2500x, in Razor Returns 5000x coin joins the party.
So, like you said, high risk/high reward describes Razor Returns the best.
We’re particularly interested in the art for Razor Returns. Push Gaming must be very proud of their artists. How important do you think striking visuals are in a slot?
Indeed, our artists are doing a great job, and are facing various challenges that we put on them so they can push the boundaries. If talking about Razor Returns, we decided to keep the old and well-known characters and theme but make an visual overall upgrade.
In my opinion visuals, effects, animation, and audio are as important as maths.
What do you think players will love most about Razor Returns? Can you give us any early info on Razor Shark, or are you keeping your cards close to your chest for a grand release in the summer?
I think players will love the variety of features, and overall rehaul of the Razor Reveal feature in particular. The great thing about this game is that there is a lot of stuff to look for, and there are many scenarios to win big.I do not want to sound like we are hiding something from our audience, but we need to keep the intrigue, it’s Razor Returns after all.
