Theme and Graphics
Sanctuary's background is that of a fiery sunset in the desert, with warm light illuminating the majestic pyramids, creating an intense and almost mystical atmosphere. The game grid is decorated with small columns bearing the colors of the Egyptian scepter, while vibrant symbols representing iconic Egyptian elements land on the reels: scarabs, Eyes of Horus, pyramids, up to a female deity adorned with jewels and feathers.
Regarding the soundtrack, it's not the usual Arabic melody you'd expect; instead, the background offers a different atmosphere, with long sustained notes reminiscent of more modern melodies. One almost suspects this is another BTG collaboration with the band "The Cult," who had lent their work to other provider slots. Come to think of it, isn't this the band that wrote the song "She sells Sanctuary"? And aren't those concert spotlights sending beams of light from behind the pyramid?
Regarding symbol payouts, we find:
- Purple funeral mask pays 15x;
- Anubis god pays up to 5x;
- Scarab pays up to 2.5x;
- Eyes of Ra pays up to 1.5x;
- A and K pay up to 1.2x;
- Q and J pay up to 0.8x;
- 10 and 9 pay up to 0.5x.
Bonus Features
Reel Wild: these wilds, available in Gold and Purple variants, appear on the four middle reels. Each Purple wild involved in a winning combination offers an x8 win multiplier. However, these specific wilds are not present during free spins.
Scatter and Free Spins: with 3, 4, 5, or 6 scatter symbols in the base game, players can get 7 free spins on 1, 2, 3, or 4 game grids. Before starting this mode, players can choose to play on a single grid or risk getting up to 4. If they decide to risk, they must participate in a wheel of fortune which, if it stops in the segment indicating 0, immediately ends the feature. During this mode, the Ankh symbol can appear and transform into a Sticky Wild on all grids. As a final special feature, four of these wilds on a single row transform into a full reel wild with an x4 multiplier and award extra spins.
Exchange: if a play produces a win equal to or greater than 80 times the bet, there's the option to convert it entirely and immediately gain entry to the free spins feature, which will also start with 7 spins. If the win is between 25 and 80 times the bet, players can still try their luck and exchange the entire amount for a chance to get additional free spins through a wheel of fortune.
Similar Slots to Sanctuary
Those looking for interesting alternatives to Sanctuary can try:
- Temple Quest by Big Time Gaming
- Egyptian Mythology by Cristaltec
- Doom of Egypt by Play'nGo
Pros and Cons of Sanctuary Slot
The Sanctuary slot doesn't disappoint either in terms of graphics or bonus features. The setting makes the gaming experience engaging, and the reference to the famous band can definitely make genre fans smile. While its high volatility might not appeal to everyone, particularly beginners or those who prefer more frequent but smaller wins, the maximum win could make it worth the candle. If you're looking for an Egypt-themed slot that doesn't offer the usual music (literally and figuratively), you might definitely find in Sanctuary what you're looking for.