Introduction to Sands of Destiny
One thing we’ve come to learn from reviewing online slots, it’s that Ancient Egypt must have had a lot of sand. This is not only apparent in the background imagery developers use to recreate the era but in game titles, as well. Examples include Book of Golden Sands by Pragmatic Play, Sands of Eternity and Sands of Eternity 2 from Slotmill, as well as today’s release Sands of Destiny. Its maker is Peter & Sons, and when factoring in Book of Seth, it is not the studio’s first trip to this ancient land. Sands of Destiny is no ‘book of’ style of slot, though it does feature a lot of expansional elements, such as the ability to drastically increase its gaming grid’s dimensions and ways to win.
A Visual Feast
Sands of Destiny is also a lovely slot to look at, showcasing the beauty of Ancient Egypt without relying on pyramid-filled vistas. The view has been shot through with a healthy dose of Peter & Sons’ charisma and technical skills, as evidenced by the exquisite Ancient Egyptian carvings on the unlockable part of the grid, making even the ‘dead’ parts of the matrix a pleasure to behold. The seriousness of ancient archaeology has been tempered by warm touches as well; Peter & Sons’ slots Fada888 have a tendency to ooze charisma, of which Sands of Destiny is another example.
Expanding Gaming Grid
As noted, the gaming grid can expand, and its default resting state is a 6-reel, 4-row matrix, supplying 4,096 ways to win. Clicking the circular button with the ‘1’ on it is where players can select their preferred stake. Another betting option is deciding whether to activate the full grid feature on each spin, doable by hitting the Ankh button, though some may find this pricey. When betting in the regular mode, Sands of Destiny generates a maximum RTP of 96.3%, and Peter & Sons has marked the game’s volatility as high.
Winning Combinations
Winning combinations in Sands of Destiny start from the leftmost reel and can be anywhere from 3 to 8 of a kind in length, depending on how many reels are unlocked. For the low-pay spades, hearts, clubs, and diamonds, hitting an 8 OAK win pays 0.36 to 0.4 times the bet. For the high-pay god symbols, the win is 0.48 to 1.2 times the bet for an 8 OAK hit. Winning combinations may be completed by wild symbols, which substitute for all regular pay symbols.
Cosmic Eggs Feature
In Peter & Sons poetical words, ‘Under the scorching sun, as the Eyes of Ra and Horus align, the ancient Tomb of long-dead kings arises, and its growing treasures unveiled.’ In concrete terms, Sands of Destiny is all about respins, grid expansions, cosmic egg instant prizes, expanding wilds, and random wilds. Cosmic eggs are scatter symbols that Fada888 award immediate prizes without being part of paylines. Landing 3 to 12 cosmic eggs awards from 1x to 10,000x the bet.
Eye of Ra Respin Feature
Landing an Eye of Ra symbol on the third reel triggers a respin and expands the gaming grid, moving to the next tier: Tier 1: 6×4, 4,096 ways; Tier 2: 6×5, 15,625 ways; Tier 3: 7×5, 78,125 ways; Tier 4: 8×5, 390,625 ways. Respins end when an Eye of Horus symbol lands on the second reel, then the grid returns to its original size.
Eyes of Ra and Horus
The Eyes of Ra and Horus work as a scatter and a wild, substituting for any regular pay symbol. When the Eyes of Ra and Horus hit in reels 2 and 3, they transform both reels into stacked wilds. In addition, 0 to 3 wilds are placed in any position on reels 4 to 8 with up to an x2 multiplier. When the Eyes of Ra and Horus land at the same time, any respins are ended.
Feature Buy Option
Players are able to unlock the full game grid at a feature buy cost of 100x the bet. The feature buy RTP is 96.8%. Though not mentioned in the game information, each bought feature not only unlocks the full game grid but lands Eyes of Ra and Horus on reels 2 and 3, thereby triggering full reel wilds each time.
Sands of Destiny: Slot Verdict
They say patience is a virtue, and a strong dose of patience may be needed to plough through Sands of Destiny. At least, it was during the review, which turned out a load of no-win/low-win spins before getting to the better parts. You could say this about a lot of slots, but a need for patience did seem notably apparent while trying out Sands of Destiny. It should be said, though, that interspersed amongst unexciting game rounds were those that triggered feature sequences which could be quite action-packed. At times, playing Sands of Destiny felt like pushing a huge boulder to the top of a very steep hill, then, when eventually making the summit, giving the rock a nudge off the edge to see what sort of destruction it would cause.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Sands of Destiny by Peter & Sons offers a visually stunning and feature-rich gaming experience that transports players to the enchanting world of Ancient Egypt. With its high volatility and numerous special features, including the Cosmic Eggs, Eye of Ra respins, and expanding grid, players can expect a dynamic and potentially rewarding gameplay. While patience is required to navigate through the base game, the excitement of unlocking the game’s full potential can make it a captivating choice for slot enthusiasts on platforms like Fada888.
