The visuals in Cleopatra Last of the Pharaohs are better than those usually served up by Novomatic - the setting is the entrance to the pyramid. Symbols on the reels include playing cards from A to 10 alongside assorted hieroglyphs, burial masks and ruby rings. It's all rather nicely done. The soundtrack is the usual Novomatic score which is a Marmite affair. We wish they'd created something a bit more in keeping with the theme.
The chief attraction in Cleopatra Last of the Pharaohs are the 2 bonus features. The first one to consider is the Sandstorm Bonus feature which can be triggered following any losing spin. Watch out as a sandstorm blows on to the reels and transforms the symbols into a winning combination.
The Cleopatra symbol is the game's scatter and is the key to unlocking the Free Spins feature when she appears on reels 1, 3 and 5. Before the feature plays out you'll be taken to a new screen featuring a pyramid. Choose a block from the bottom row - if you pick an arrow, you'll move up to the next row. The higher you make it, the more stacked wilds will be added to the reels during your 15 free spins. Reach the pyramid's summit and 5 stacked wilds are on offer.
Keep a special eye on the ankh symbol when the free spins do start - if it lands on reel 5, your free spins total will be frozen (in effect you're getting extra free spins). You will also receive a cash prize of 5 times your stake every time it appears. These will continue until the Bastet symbol (the black cat) lands on reel 5.
The variance here is high as usual too so expect plenty of down time - the free spins is the likeliest route to Egyptian riches but they're not that easy to trigger. If you do get in, manage to find a good number of stacked wilds and the ankh multiplier the coins can quickly mount up. Patience and a decent bankroll are required to give it a decent shot here.
The Egyptian theme is one of the most popular in the slots world - Novomatic hasn't re-invented the wheel here. Cleopatra Last of the Pharaohs is a decent slot though, especially if you like simple, highly volatile action. For other ancient Egyptian themed offerings, Novomatic’s Pharaoh’s Ring or IGT’s Cleopatra II as both highly recommended.