The Kraken is a mysterious ancient creature that is usually depicted as a massive octopus. While no one can say for sure it existed, it has been a central part of many mystery works of art. It has made its entrance into the slot games industry as well, especially through hits such as Pragmatic Play’s Release the Kraken. It ended up being a huge hit, sparking the need for a sequel simply titled Release the Kraken 2.

Sequels can either blow it or show it, and Release the Kraken 2 does everything right. It’s not necessarily an upgrade over its predecessor, but it does things better. It’s a livelier, more colorful, and upgraded sequel that still manages to retain some of the most fun features of the original. Those are most notably the extra paylines in the bonus round, the RTP, and the medium volatility.

In other aspects—such as the maximum payout—the sequel lacks a bit of bite, but there’s no question that it’s as fun if not more than the original release.

You can tell what this slot is all about even with your eyes closed. The Release the Kraken 2 slot follows the thematic visuals of the first slot game, this time in a more cartoonish and attractive way. We can tell that the symbols and animations are more polished, contributing to the upgraded look and feel.

A sharp-toothed Shark rules these seas, paying 10x for five of a kind. You’ll see other creatures on the reels too including a Puffer Fish and an Eel. The Kraken appears in red and gold forms – the former is a Wild that pays double the Shark, while the latter is a Bonus Symbol that triggers the Free Spins Round.

You can spin the Release the Kraken 2 slot on any mobile device straight from your favorite browser. No need to download any slot apps or software – simply spin it on the go from your favorite Pragmatic Play casino.

When you fire up the Release the Kraken 2 slot, the default bet is set to $2. That might be a tad high for some players, but you can easily adjust it with the + and – buttons between $0.20 and $100 (or $125 with the Ante Bet feature active). Hit the big Spin button at the end and start playing. You can also set up Auto spins if you prefer it that way. Now, anyone who has played the first one won’t have a lot of trouble spinning the sequel. It follows mostly the same gameplay but with a few surprising and welcomed additions, of course.

The 5x4 grid will give you wins for combinations of three or more matching symbols. There are two different Wild features in addition to the regular Wild substitution. Both are random and work like this:

• Wild Respins. Available after four Wilds land on the reels. All Wilds are frozen on the reels and move to random positions while all other symbols respin. Any extra Wild that lands during the feature awards another respin.
• Shifting Stacked Wilds. The big red Kraken is the Shifting Stacked Wild Symbol. It only lands on reels 2, 3, and 4 randomly. This Wild fully covers the reel it lands on, moving one position per spin and increasing the multiplier value by +1.
• Guaranteed Win. On some losing spins, the Kraken might emerge from the depths of the sea and deliver a win by changing the symbols to a combination that pays 20x-60x. An explosion can occur at the same time, bringing down three Bonus symbols that start the Free Spins Round.

Getting into the Bonus Round is possible by either landing three Bonus symbols or via the explosion award. Before the Bonus Round begins, you play a mini game which determines the number of free spins and multiplier value. This is also dependent on the triggering Bonus symbols, awarding between 4 free spins with an x2 multiplier to the highest possible 20 with an x10 multiplier.

In the Free Spins Round, the grid doubles in size, meaning you get 20 paylines. All Wilds are locked into place and move to random positions on each spin. Golden Wilds do the same thing, except they also increase the multiplier by +1.

In some jurisdictions, the Bonus Round can be bought. The Standard Free Spins Round costs 100x, while the VIP free spins round with five triggering Scatters costs 250x.

The Release the Kraken 2 slot RTP is set at a solid 96.03% for a highly volatile title. The maximum win has been lowered a bit from the original to 5,000x the bet.

Release the Kraken 2 is a worthy sequel that will surely appeal to fans of the first one. It retains the best features while adding a few surprising features of its own, creating a more immersive hunt for the elusive creature. Find the Kraken within the depths at our recommended casinos online, and you’ll be awarded ancient buried treasures from deep beneath the sea.