If, like me, you saw the name Astros and thought, “Oh, cool as sci-fi slot, " then you might pull your hair out to learn we have once again been handed another Egyptian-themed slot game on a plate. I’m literally rolling my eyes at this. Is it that hard for someone to make another Playboy-themed game? Is it too much to ask for? And what bugs me is that I actually like Red Tiger as a software company. So, here we are, me reviewing Astros, oh boy!

Inside this review, I will try my best not to die from boredom and, in the process, not take you down with me. I will be studying the ever-present pyramids, the sphynx, the gods, the grains of sand, and just about everything else that is cliché about such slot games. 

Even at this stage, I’ve not pressed a button to see how it even looks. If you are more enthusiastic than me, then you should try this slot for free. No downloads, no registration, and play as much as you want. Or you can first read my description of the game, software, bonuses, and potential payout before you take the plunge. 

Having loaded the game, I may have spoken too much, too soon. Astros is not a normal slot game. In fact, it doesn’t even look like a standard slot at all.

Before me is a pyramid split into five sections; two more full pyramids complete the backdrop to this game. This is a game about progression. Each of the five rows comes with cash value symbols. The second to fifth rows also come with multipliers. X2, x5, x10, and x50.

The first row or base level is seven symbols, the next one up is six symbols, then five, then four, and ends with three cash symbols at the top of the pyramid.

Okay, Astros, you now have my attention.

So, to progress in the game and advance up the pyramid, you need to strike wins of 3 or more of the same values. As you move up levels, you will also benefit from landing multipliers on top of what you are in terms of cash.

Astros comes with a default value of $2 per spin. Remember to adjust this to suit your budget. The price of a spin starts at $0.20 and rises to a max of $2. This is really low for a slot game, so you can’t hope too much for a large return.

Once you have set your pricing for play, press the yellow spin button to start spinning the first row of values. It seems very basic, but is that all there is to play the Astros slot game?

The answer is no. This is why we can now discuss the bonus feature that makes its appearance in this game. Should you land the bonus symbol on the 3^rd level, you will activate the bonus round. In this feature, you will spin a seven-symbol row. These seven values will be added up, and the amount will be multiplied by the number of bonus symbols you have landed. Up to x5 is the maximum amount.

Now, great that the idea is, the whole game kind of falls flat because this is the only bonus feature present. That’s it, and I expect a lot more from Red Tiger. This is a whole new concept of gameplay, and it plays it too safely. There is nothing that plays on the game's enigmatic design; it’s a bit too meh!

When I loaded this game, it was evident that this was going to be something completely unique. To this day, after eight years in the business, I have not played a casino game like this. Can it even be called a slot? I did have my doubts, but that was purely a judgment based on the whole “it’s another Egyptian game.” Now, I admit I was quick to judge, and this is a rare one-of-a-kind slot game that players will either hate or love. That said, I sit on the fence with this one at the moment. I’m sure if I played for another hour, I would end up hating it. 

I played the demo at the max stake of $2 a spin. I selected the auto-play option of 50 spins and let the game do its thing. Now, I don’t know if it’s just down to the unique design, but after 14 spins, I was getting bored. The highest I ascended was to the second level, one up from the bottom. At the halfway point, I’d barely landed a win. Now, I know it’s all luck, but damn, this is a game that tests your will and patience. 

By the end, I was more than $200 down. 

Astros is a high-volatility game, which accounts for the boredom I felt set into my bones. High-volatility games, whilst they can be very rewarding, do become costly to play and rarely produce frequent wins. 

The RTP rating of this game comes in at 95.72%, which is decent for a game with such a small jackpot. Which further adds to the oddity of this game. If you play at the max cost of $2 per spin, you can get a payout of $51,800 if you land the jackpot. It makes no sense why the volatility should be so high for such a poor return. 

Astros is a game that will barely be in the minds of players after a month has passed since its release. It’s a special game because of how it's designed, but there are a lot of concerns about the end product. Limited bonuses, poor payouts, and high volatility make it a tiresome game to play. 

I wouldn’t lose a night’s sleep knowing that someone murdered this game in the middle of the night. If it were taken hostage, I wouldn’t wish it well and side with the capturer. In fact, if this slot were to roam the street hungry and begging for money, I would walk past it and buy a scratch card.

There are far better games at top casino sites, and they certainly possess far greater returns if played at $2 per spin. I would recommend you check out these alternative slots if, like me, the Astros game doesn’t hit the sweet spot — Mega Moolah Megaways™, Age of the Gods: Goddess of Wisdom™, and Legacy of Dynasties™.