Olympus Rivals — review

But I have to start somewhere other than usual, because the most important number is missing. RTP is not stated in the datasheet I'm working from. Volatility is set to Medium-high and the maximum win to 1.700 x the stake, and those are the only fixed footholds I have. The rest must be read out from the feature list, and it is long.

01A datasheet with a hole in the middle

When RTP is not stated, you lose the one metric that makes it possible to compare two slots across studios. I don't guess. An Olympus game can in practice range from 94 to 97 percent, and the difference between those extremes is large enough to determine whether a session is reasonably priced or not.

The advice is simple and applies generally: open the game's own information screen at the operator you're using and find the percentage there. If it's not there either, I would choose a different title myself. There are plenty of Olympus-slots on the market where the figure is printed.

The 1.700 x ceiling is, however, stated, and it is low. Together with Medium-high it paints a game that aims for more frequent, smaller payouts in the respin rounds rather than a single large outcome.

02Five rivals for the same spot

The themes mention Medusa, Minotaur, Poseidon, Pegasus and Zeus. In games of this type those elements are usually rendered as a set of high-paying symbols, with each figure having its own value and possibly its own expansion in the bonus round. The title's Rivals angle suggests the figures compete over something — which feature triggers, or which symbol becomes wild.

The feature list partly supports that reading: it lists BonusGame: Pick Objects, i.e. a round where the player chooses among hidden fields. It is often there that the choice between the gods is placed. Exactly how Amigo Gaming has put it together is not described, and I stick to what the sheet actually states.

Gemstones also appear on the theme list, which typically means a low-paying symbol set of gems instead of the usual card values. A small detail, but one that usually enhances the impression of the symbol artwork.

03Energy collection, sticky symbols and respins

The core appears to be Hold and Win. Sticky Symbols, Respins, Additive symbol and Fixed Jackpots all point to the same round, where landed tiles are locked in and the respin counter resets with each new landing. Additive symbol means that certain tiles add their value to already locked positions rather than standing on their own.

On top of that there's Symbols collection (Energy). It's a collection mechanic: certain symbols fill a meter over multiple spins, and when the meter is full something is triggered. In some games that's extra free spins, in others direct access to the bonus game. The feature list doesn't specify it.

Free Spins, Multiplier, Random multiplier, Scatter symbols and Wild are also listed. It’s a lot of moving parts for a game with a cap of 1.700 x, and it’s my main objection. When the prize ceiling is that low, all those features have to share a relatively small budget.

04The ceiling sets the framework for the whole experience

1.700 x is among the lowest figures in the entire Olympus field. By comparison, several competing titles boast five times as much or more. That's not automatically a flaw — a low cap combined with reasonable volatility can produce a game that feels fairer along the way — but it makes the title hard to recommend to someone chasing a big payout.

With Medium-high volatility and 1.700 x as the absolute maximum you end up in a middle field where the game is neither calm enough for long, low-stake sessions nor wild enough to justify the risk. It's the kind of balance that requires a very good RTP to carry it — and we don't know that.

Also note that there are Fixed Jackpots on the list. Fixed prize levels typically contribute to keeping the ceiling low, because a fixed jackpot represents the top instead of a multiplier that can run wild.