Forge of Gems
By Play'n GO
Overview
Step into the heart of an ancient smithy with Play'n GO's Forge of Gems, the highly anticipated fourth installment in their renowned Gem series. This visually stunning slot immerses you in a vibrant, jewel-making workshop, where raw power meets precious potential. The game unfolds on a dynamic 5-reel, 3-row main grid, crowned by a special Forge Reel that continuously modifies your gameplay. While other 'gem' slots might struggle to shine, Forge of Gems distinguishes itself with ingenious mechanics, offering an incredible 243 to 36,288 ways to win through innovative splitter symbols. With its Extreme Volatility (rated 10/10 by Play'n GO), a thrilling 20,000x Max Win potential, and an RTP of 96.2%, this title is tailor-made for high-stakes players and enthusiasts seeking an electrifying, high-octane slot experience where every spin could forge monumental wins.
Gameplay & Features
Forge of Gems comes with several features that interact and trigger each other, such as cascades, the Forge Reel and its various modifiers, plus free spins.
• Cascades
•
Each symbol in a winning combination isremovedfrom the board by thecascade feature. Then, symbols from the Forge Reel cascade down, and any additional gaps are refilled, potentially creating another win. This cascade process is repeated as long as new wins appear.
• Forge Reel
•
When cascades activate the Forge Reel, thesespecial symbolsdrop down onto the main grid and perform theirmodifier:
Multiplier– increases the win multiplier by one. The win multiplier resets between paid spins. Vertical Wild– turns all symbols except scatters into wilds on the reel. Horizontal Wild– turns matching symbols on the row into wilds. Vertical Splitter– all matching symbols on the reel are split, increasing ways to win. Horizontal splitter– splits symbols on its row, except scatters, and is also wild. Blank symbols– these are removed when cascading.
• Gembox
•
Appearing on all five reels is ared jewel scatter symbol. Landing3 of themawards 20x the bet plus8 or 10 free spins, 4 scatters award 30x the bet plus10 or 15 free spins, while 5 scatters get you 40x the bet plus10, 15, or 20 free spins. During the Gembox bonus,blank symbols never appear on the Forge Reel, anda multiplier symbol is guaranteed. The win multiplierdoes not resetbetween free spins, and whatever win multiplier was active on the triggering spin is carried over to the bonus round. Lastly, jewel scatters do not appear in free spins, so the featurecannot be retriggered
Final Thoughts
Like the two previous Gem games, Forge of Gems lacks a little warmth, despite on-screen heat provided by the roaring hot forge. It sits in stark contrast to similarly themed games likeLava LavaorHammer of Vulcan, which overflowed with personal touches. This isn't necessarily a good or bad thing, depending on personal preference, and does show that Play'n GO has plotted a course for the Gems games and are valiantly sticking to it. It just means that if you prefer the company of virtual chums, like classical Gods or fantastical creatures, then Forge of Gems might come across a little cold, a little generic at times.
One benefit is that pretty much all features are available in the base game, and none of the thematic concerns really matter when Forge of Gems is firing. Cascades pull in modifier symbols from the Forge Reel, which in turn piles on wilds, ways, and at times, multipliers. The concept worked well in games likeTropicoolorIllogicool, and it works just as well in Forge of Gems. There is a feeling these Gems slots are getting increasinglyNolimit City-ish as the series progresses - now they throw a dash ofELKinto the mix. Not so much in a copy and paste way, however, because even though the gameplay feels familiar, Forge of Gems merges everything flawlessly. Should the cascades, Forge Reel and persistent multiplier trio of features be stoked to full capacity, Forge of Gems is capable of turning out wins as high as20,000x the stake.
All in all, Forge of Gems is a well-designed addition to the Gems range, which possesses a bunch of entertaining elements which have the ability to greatly enhance each other. If you're intrigued by the expanding reels/ways, splitting symbols action NLC is up to but not so jazzed by their themes, then Forge of Gems offers a similar style of play in a more staid environment.
