Zeus Ze Zecond

Zeus Ze Zecond: Slot Overview

One of slot makers' primary cheat codes is taking an already-made game, ripping the skin off, replacing it with another sleeve, and shipping it out the door as a 'new' slot. Reskins might have negative connotations, but they must also be a very tempting way to fatten a portfolio with less effort than embarking on something truly novel. This brings us to Hacksaw Gaming's release Zeus Ze Zecond, which, rather than being a remake of Ze Zeus, is actually a clone of the Smokey Le Bandit slot Le Zeus. Same ancient Greek deity and gameplay, just reproduced on the screen in a very different way.

It would be hard to accuse Zeus Ze Zecond of looking like a stereotypical Greek mythology slot. Sure, Zeus is there, as are columns and whatnot, but the distorted angles, the rock-on hand sign, and the striking pop art/comic book style hint at Hacksaw Gaming's desire to explore different visual effects, possibly influenced by its Chaos Crew type of work. The resulting optics are completely different from what we saw in its sibling slots, a sort of punk, comic book, anti-establishment ethos, taking on one of online slots' most venerable genres.

A 6x5 grid is Zeus Ze Zecond's playing area, landing winning combinations along 19 paylines. Four feature buys may be activated and stakes of $/€0.10 to $/€50 may be chosen in this medium volatile slot, where the preferred RTP configuration is 96.26%.

On the paytable are four playing card suits, banners, shields and helmets, chalices, skulls, eagles, and Zeus symbols. The four suits pay 3x the stake for a 6 OAK hit, whereas the remaining picture symbols award 5x to 100x for a 6 OAK winning combination. Wilds are worth even more, at 200x for 6, and they are also able to substitute the regular paying symbols.

Zeus Ze Zecond: Slot Features

This section covers the Wonder Reveal process, the three bonus rounds, and feature buys.

Wonder Reveal

Wonder symbols may land vertically on reels during a spin, revealing high-paying symbols, all wilds, or a Wonder Reel. Wonder symbols may land on any reel except the leftmost in normal play. If a Wonder symbol reveals high pay symbols or wilds that are part of a win, a respin is triggered where all revealed symbols revert back to Wonder symbols and remain sticky through the respin. When the respin completes, new symbols are revealed, and any new wins are paid.

Wonder Reels form when one or more Wonder symbols land on the same reel. Those symbols then spin to reveal Coins, Diamonds, Clovers, or Pots of Olympus symbols. Bronze Coins, Silver Coins, Gold Coins, and Diamonds reveal values of 0.2x-4x, 5x-20x, 25x-100x, and 150x-500x the stake, respectively. Following this reveal, Green Clover symbols multiply all Coins, Diamonds, or existing Pots of Olympus on adjacent positions by x2 to x20, while Gold Clovers multiply all Coins, Diamonds, or existing Pots of Olympus by the same value range.

Pots of Olympus symbols activate after Clovers, by collecting the values of all Coins, Diamonds, and other Pots of Olympus symbols on the grid, storing the total value. After this occurs, all symbols on the Wonder Reels except the Pot of Olympus spin again, repeating the process. When all reveals and activations are complete, values are paid, and the Wonder Reels are removed for the next spin.

Gates of Hades Bonus Game

This bonus game is activated by landing 3 scatters in the base game, and 8 free spins are awarded. On top of retaining the base game mechanics, all Wonder symbols that hit are sticky throughout the bonus, and the minimum Coin value is 1x.

Godly Ascension Bonus Game

Landing 4 scatters triggers this round with 8 free spins. It keeps the base game mechanics, plus it displays a Wonder Meter outside the grid. Each time a Wonder symbol lands, the Wonder Meter increases by +1 step. When filled by 25 symbols, a reward spin is triggered when the current spin is complete. For the reward spin, every position on the reels is covered by a Wonder Reel, which only reveals Coins, Diamonds, Clovers, or Pots of Olympus symbols. On the first reward spin, all types of Coins, including Diamonds, may land. With each subsequent reward spin, the minimum Coin type increases by +1 step up to Diamond, removing the lower value Coin symbols each time. The minimum Coin value in this bonus is 1x. After the reward spin is complete, the grid resets, the new minimum Coin type is updated for the next reward spin, and the Multiplier Meter returns to zero, for potential future fills.

Zeus Unleashed Hidden Epic Bonus

Hitting 5 scatters triggers 8 free spins in this bonus. It is the same as Gates of Hades except reels 2-5 are filled with Wonder symbols from the start. Low-paying symbols cannot land in this bonus, and the minimum Coin value is 5x.

Feature Buys

Feature buys include BonusHunt FeatureSpins, which cost 3x to make each spin 5 times more likely to trigger a bonus game, and Divine FeatureSpins at 50x, which guarantee at least 6 Wonder symbols land. Gates of Hades costs 80x, or Godly Ascension may be bought for 300x the stake.

Zeus Ze Zecond: Slot Verdict

In a peculiar twist of events, Zeus Ze Zecond is closer to Le Zeus than it is to Ze Zeus. So close in fact, it is essentially a straightforward reskin, a clone that swaps a raccoon in sandals for a rockin' out version of the King of Olympus. While some players might be rolling their eyes at the lack of mechanical innovation, and fair enough, there is something about Hacksaw Gaming's refusal to play the Greek mythology genre straight. And while there is no chance of Zeus Ze Zecond cropping up on any best of lists for gameplay innovation, it has snatched a set of features started by Le Bandit, which has proven to be very popular.

And yet, some may be questioning if we really needed another one of these games, especially since Zeus Ze Zecond has absolutely nothing of new mechanical interest to offer. The Wonder Reveal and its collection loop is as potent as ever, but the sense of déjà vu is inescapable for anyone who has spent time with Zeus Ze Zecond's predecessors. It is a classic example of if it ain't broke, don't fix it, though the lack of even a minor numerical tweak or a fresh modifier might leave players feeling like they've been struck down by the same bolt of lightning too many times.

To end on a positive note, the visual direction is one of the big selling points, and Zeus Ze Zecond's art style works really well, bringing an artsy comic-book superhero vibe to a genre dominated by staid tradition. It's an odd and arguably unnecessary release, but for players who enjoy the 'Le' series but found the raccoon theme a bit too whimsical, this grittier, artsier Zeus Ze Zecond might be a preferred way to play.