Playtech slots are usually a treat for the senses and Si Xiang is no exception - set against a deep red backdrop, the reels contain a selection of symbols relating to Chinese mythology. In addition to the stylised playing card symbols come a quartet of animal symbols - they include a turtle being attacked by a snake, a dazzling firebird, a white tiger and fearsome green dragon.
You only need to land 2 of the animal symbols (and the A and K) playing cards to secure a minimum payout. In fact, just 1 of the green dragons will add 2 coins to the cashier total.
The coins really mount up if you manage to land a full complement of 5 symbols on a single payline - 5 turtles will get you 750 coins with 1,250 on offer for 5 firebirds. The numbers increase massively with the other 2 animals though: 5 tigers bring 5,000 coins with a whopping 10,000-coin jackpot on offer if you're lucky enough to land a quintet of dragons.
The Tao symbol is the game's wild - it only appears on the middle 3 reels and substitutes for all other symbols apart from the scatter. The other advantage offered by the wild is that whenever it forms part of a winning combination, the payout will be boosted by a 2x multiplier and doubled.
There's also a scatter symbol - it doesn't trigger any features but it does offer payouts of between 1 and 100 times your stakes if you land between 2 and 5 of them anywhere on the reels.
Many of Playtech's Asian-themed slots are simple but volatile affairs and Si Xiang maintains that pattern. There's nothing on offer as far as features go so if you like plenty of interaction in your play then this won't be one for you. If you like basic, fast-paced play that offers the opportunity to win big on a single spin then Si Xiang is one to add to your rotation. Saying that, I prefer other games from Playtech such as The Great Ming Empire or Geisha Story.