Goldman Sachs, a financial behemoth, was once memorably represented in Rolling Stone magazine as an octopus with tentacles that reached all across the globe. Although Yggdrasil Gaming is not as well-known as some of its competitors, the company’s YGS Masters Program is rapidly expanding its roster of partner studios. Independent developer Hot Rise Games has also just joined the ranks. Their debut album, Legion Hot 1, is a cycle-based compilation of songs about ancient Rome at the height of its power.
The Legion Hot 1 moves around between two different places. The first is a picture-perfect rural setting that could only be seen in Tuscany, with its mountains, mist, and cypress trees. The second setting is Rome, an urban sprawl constructed on seven hills. The stark contrast between the two settings emphasizes how mind-blowing it must have been to go from the countryside to the city in those days. The backdrop visuals in Legion Hot 1 have a grainy, almost watercolor look, while the soundtrack progresses from an orchestral whirlwind to a choral drama as the stakes rise.
Bet carefully since the selection process continues even after you reach the required 30 percent stake. If you were just going to wager the minimum amount possible but accidentally clicked the minus button, you might have severely damaged your bankroll. Legion Hot 1 is a medium-volatile slot machine where the objective is to gather shields and increase the size of the reels from 5×3 to a maximum of 3-5-5-5-3. Keep in mind that the theoretical payout percentage is 96.37%, but that this is only guaranteed if the player completes a full cycle of collecting. Should they fail to do so, the RTP would begin each cycle “significantly below the listed RTP,” to quote Hot Rise. The Return to Player (RTP) increases as more grid locations become available in the game, but it remains below the theoretical RTP until the cycle ends.
There are 243 possible outcomes in Legion Hot 1’s base 5×3 game style. When three or more identical symbols appear in a row, beginning with the first reel, a combination is awarded. Up to 1,125 possible paylines can be accessed when more reel spots are added. The lower-paying symbols are the Jacks through Aces, while the higher-paying symbols are the axes, plumed helmets, goats, lions, eagles, and coins. If you get five of a type with the latter group, you’ll win anywhere from 1.33 times your bet to 16.66 times your bet. The wild symbol, shown by a furious legionnaire, can substitute for any other symbol except the bonus if it appears on reels 2, 3, or 4.
Slot Functions, Legion’s Hottest 1
The objective of Legion Hot 1 is to gather 4 bonus shields on the same reel to initiate a free spins bonus round, and the game is played in cycles. If a bonus shield appears on reels 2, 3, or 4, just those reels will receive an upgrade. These enhancements follow a predictable pattern;
When a reel has its first shield, a fourth position at the bottom of the reel becomes available for symbols.
The fifth slot at the top of the reel may be accessed by using the second shield.
The third one gives the first and last locations on the reels an additional multiplier of x2.
When you get four bonus shields on one reel, you win 10 extra turns.
Bonus shields are not earned during free spins, but they do act as a wild multiplier that doubles the value of any symbol it replaces. Any alterations you made to the grid in the main game will carry over to the free spins. In addition, x2 bonus wild symbols are added to the reel or reels that first activated the bonus round.
You’ll now understand why the ‘Hot 1’ in the game’s title looked so out of place. The Hot 1 is the final free spin in each bonus round. The top and bottom positions on Reel 2 or 3 or 4 are multiplied by 2 whenever this happens. When the bonus rounds are over, the grid resets to its original 5×3.
Theoretically, free spins will activate every 100 spins in the main game, and they will not be retriggerable. However, they may be purchased for 50 times the stake if legal in your jurisdiction.
Slot Verdict, a Legion Hot 1
There are positive and negative aspects to Legion Hot 1, with the negative aspects becoming more noticeable as the game progresses. The primary stumbling block is the fact that you need to collect four shields on a single reel in order to activate the bonus game, and that you may also improve your chances of winning by collecting game improvements. After all, does it actually improve things? Given that, by design, return on investment (RTI) is lower at the outset of a collection cycle, are you improving anything or just evening the playing field? After using your free spins and still being in the red without any improvement, it might feel like a fight to go back to baseline. The RTP statistic only applies after all cycles have finished, however at least Hot Rise Games is transparent about this on the game sheet.
The dynamic nature of Legion Hot 1 may appeal to gamers who enjoy games with shifting reels or exploding modifiers. There isn’t much time to idly wait about because wins occur at a rate of 1 in 1.58 spins and the feature occurs, potentially, once every 100 spins. If Legion Hot 1 starts paying out, the highest you can win is 2,525 times your initial wager. That said, you’d need a really hot spin on Hot 1 to obtain that kind of money.
A few brownie points go to Hot Rise Games for being original in their first spot. However, being novel doesn’t always pay off, and after a few listens, the original elements of Legion Hot 1 come across as gimmicky rather than ground-breaking.