Cygnus 2 Slot Review
Watch as the stars align in the distant constellation of ELK Studios’ latest release, Cygnus 2! There’s certainly no limit to the endless possibilities of Cygnus 2 – the second release to join the original Cygnus release.
Cygnus 2 sparks a millennium since the first mention of the Cygnus society, which obsesses over the stars buried deep within our solar system. The steadfast quest to uncover galactic mysteries unfolds here, and discovering the many secrets of the sky may lead to 50,000x your bet in max win potential.
The original Cygnus release remains permanently etched into our minds for its unique structure and iconic mechanics. Upon its original release, ELK Studios offered a special bet strategy feature, which soon evolved into the X-iter Feature.
With the X-iter feature now a prominent part of each ELK Studios release, we’re confident games such as this one will attract more players indefinitely. Unfortunately, at the time of this release, UK players were unable to reap the benefits of the Bonus Hunt via this option.
However, ELK Studios has made the much-needed leap and made certain parts of the X-iter feature accessible to UK players. This advantage will encourage more players in the UK to engage in the upcoming ELK Studios’ releases moving forward.
This Cygnus release is now part of an ongoing series, which has expanded to a 5th series instalment, ironically named Cygnus 5. Even after much time has passed, ELK Studios has still not gotten creative with its titles.
Cygnus 2 includes ELK Studios’ staple RTP of 94%, in addition to a high volatility score and 50,000x max win potential. This figure is a huge leap from the 5,000x max win potential found in the original release, and some may say it’s slightly ‘overkill’, but you won’t hear any complaints from the lucky players who receive it.
Are the answers you seek written in the stars? Let’s find out.
Base Game & Features
Each spin/session begins as a 6-reel, 4-row format with up to 262,144 ways to win.
The highest-paying symbols fall to Astrological Star Signs, followed by red, green and blue gems. There’s also a Wild symbol, which substitutes for all except Scatter & Multiplier symbols.
Due to its ways to win status, winning combinations occur when 3 or more matching symbols land on adjacent reels, starting from reel 1. Winning symbols will explode via an Avalanche Feature, causing new symbols to drop in from above. Gravity determines which way the remaining symbols fall, and their end position may result in additional wins.
Additionally, each winning combination removed will add an extra row to the reels, up to a maximum of 8. This continues so long as further winning combinations appear on the reels:
- 4 Rows: 4,096 ways to win
- 5 Rows: 15,625 ways to win
- 6 Rows: 46,656 ways to win
- 7 Rows: 117,649 ways to win
- 8 Rows: 262,144 ways to win
Rising Multipliers
Multiplier Progression Bars found in the original release return to the reels of Cygnus 2. This feature initiates when 1 or more Multiplier symbols reach the leftmost column.
If a Multiplier reaches the bottom row of columns 2-6, it will disappear before being dropped from above the reels, but one position to the left. This replacement occurs at the end of the current avalanche event, but it will only happen once.
Before the next base game spin, the Multiplier Progression Bar is reset.
Cygnus 2 Free Spins
The Free Spins mode is triggered when a Scatter symbol reaches the leftmost column during a base game spin, awarding 7 Free Spins.
In this mode, the current value of the Multiplier Progression Bar persists throughout spins. Each new spin begins with 4 rows, and whenever a Multiplier symbol reaches the bottom of rows 2-6, it will increment the Multiplier by +x1.
X-iter
The X-iter Feature is essentially a Bonus Buy at any level, so it’s not available to those within the UK. If you can make use of this feature, then there are some exciting options to choose from:
- Bonus Hunt: Triggers 1 Spin with more than double your chance of triggering Free Spins for 2x your bet
- Multiplier: Awards 1 spin with a guaranteed Multiplier symbol for 10x your bet
- Multiplier Wilds: Guarantees 1 spin with a Multiplier symbol acting as Wild for 25x your bet
- Free Spins: Instant access to the Free Spins mode for 100x your bet
- Super Free Spins: Instant access to the Super Free Spins mode, where Multiplier symbols remain until they are converted into Wilds for 500x your bet
The theoretical RTP for all game modes in Cygnus 2 is 94%.
Cygnus 2 has a sizable max win potential of 50,000x your bet. If a single game round exceeds this, the current mode ends, and the player returns to the base game with the qualifying amount.
Our Honest Verdict
Cygnus 2 is a certified improvement on the original in many ways, including graphics and win potential. Aesthetically, Cygnus 2 is a masterpiece and a testament to how far ELK Studios has evolved in terms of artistry and skill.
The game’s overall potential is significantly higher, too, with up to 50,000x your bet available. It’s exactly 10 times more efficient and rewarding than the original, but we are wondering how viable it will be for players within the UK. Thankfully, with the availability of certain X-iter features for UK players, it doesn’t seem as impossible as it once was.
Sadly, though, the Super Free Spins mode is still unable to trigger in the base game, meaning that Cygnus 2 is still very much beneficial to Bonus Buy participants. ELK Studios always considers UK players when opting for multiple Free Spins modes, but in this instance, we’re left with standard Free Spins.
With this in mind, Cygnus 2 might just seem like the original instalment, but with better graphics. We’re not sure how much of the 50,000x potential is within reach for those who can’t buy, but we’re guessing it’s still substantially more capable than the original, even without the super bonus.
All in all, Cygnus 2 is exciting, and it’s substantially better than the original, but in terms of actual gameplay, not much is different. If you were expecting a brand new slot with features unlike anything you’ve seen before, then you might be disappointed.
*The images found in this slot review are currently from Demo Play. On average, our reviews are written prior to the initial release date and before real play is available.
