Cygnus 5

Cygnus 5 Review

The 2024 year has been quite productive for the Swedish game developer ELK Studios, and the company is preparing to have an exciting start to 2025, too. Cygnus 5 slot is ready to launch in the first half of January to add a 5th game to the provider's galactical Cygnus series that has started in 2019.

For those unfamiliar with the concept, Cygnus is another name for the Northern Cross constellation, where the Deneb star belongs. I'll share more details later in this review article, and now, it's time to unwrap the package. The last sequel to the series, Cygnus 4, was released at the end of 2023, and somehow it didn't fully satisfy the inflated expectations of slot enthusiasts.

Make no mistake, Cygnus 4, just like all the prequels, is a fantastic game, and Cygnus 5 seems to deserve this description. It comes with the series typical layout and Multiway mechanic with 4,096 up to 262,144 ways to win. The whimsical grid starts with 4 rows on 6 reels, and each win activates an avalanche that can add more rows, up to 8, and increase the number of active ways.

Combinations must consist of identical symbols on at least 3 adjacent reels, starting from the leftmost column. Whenever winning formations occur, the participating symbols will explode, and those on the left will roll to the right the influence of gravity. When the slide is over, a drop will deliver new symbols from above.

The re-drop sequence will continue until there are no winnings on the grid. Keep in mind that the process will be enhanced by various modifiers like multipliers and bonus features, which are even more powerful during the Free Spins bonus. In addition to all that, ELK Studios has added X-iter, Quickspin, Autoplay, and several other technical tools.

Cygnus 5 Slot - Game Screen

Cygnus 5 is loaded with several special characters, including wild symbols that substitute for all regular coins. Payouts come from 7 symbols, and the Moon-Sun is the highest-paying one - 1x to 5x for 3 to 6 on a way. Cats, Snakes, and Falcons follow with max prizes of 0.50x, 0.40x, and 0.30x the bet, respectively.

Three gem-shaped coins land as the Low Pays in the game - Hexagonal, Diamond, and Triangle, paying from 0.05x to 0.20x the bet. Individual payouts may seem scarce at first glance, but keep in mind that they will be collected in bulk during the re-drops enhanced with features and multipliers!

The Cygnus 5 RTP ranges and does not differ much from the other titles part of the series - 94% at best and 87% for those markets that require it. This element proves once again that the provider is solid in its decision to continue in the low-RTP slot-crafting direction. In addition to that, the expected levels of volatility are medium to high.

On the flip side, Cygnus 5 continues another trend and offers a massive max win of 50,000x the bet or up to a galactical €5,000,000! Yes, the sum is advertised by the provider, so you can expect it as a cap on all reputable casino platforms. The betting range remains standard - €0.20 up to €100 per spin.

Cygnus 5 Features

Cygnus 5 offers advanced mechanics with unlimited Avalanches, but also a generous amount of special features. Each one will move you a step closer to the stars and the dream reward of 5 million. Read the following lines carefully and understand what to expect when the drops begin!

Multiplier Symbols

The Multiplier pillar is displayed on the left, and at the start, it's turned off. Multiplier symbols may land on any grid position, and if any hits the bottom of the board or the leftmost reel, itáll activate the round's multiplier.

If any other Multiplier symbols do the same, they will be added to the total multiplier, which will affect the total round win. Reach the top of the pillar to win the game's max reward, but keep in mind that it'll deactivate after the round's end. Total Multiplier is persistent during Free Drops.

Prism Symbols

Prisms may drop freely and activate when they reach the bottom of the grid or may be added by a Meteor Strike and activate immediately. They trigger symbol transformation for all symbols along lines in a random number of directions into the same payout symbol or wilds.

If a Prism beams a light and hits another Prism, it will start a chain reaction. All symbols along the selected lines will transform into the same payout symbols or wilds. Symbols in crossing transform into wild symbols. Wild symbols are not affected by the Prism beams, while Bonus, Super Bonus, and Multiplier symbols turn only temporarily.

Meteor Strike

Meteor Strike can trigger randomly on any new Drop or after any symbol refill. The feature will select several symbols on the grid and will transform them into Multipliers, Prisms, and Bonus or Super Bonus scatters. The Multiplier symbols activate first, followed by the Prisms.

Free Drops Bonus

Bonus and Super Bonus scatters can activate the Free Drops bonus! For that purpose, one of them must reach the leftmost column, and if so, 7 free spins will be awarded. In case any scatter hits the bottom of reels 2 to 6, during the base game, it'll be removed and dropped again, one reel further to the left.

The current total multiplier is carried into the bonus minigame, which will begin after the end of the refilling sequence. Free Drops can be retriggered in the same way, and if a Bonus Game is retriggered with a Super Bonus scatter, it'll be upgraded. During the Super Bonus, each new free drop starts with a Meteor Strike!

Cygnus 5 Slot – Free Spins Gameplay Screen

X-iter

X-iter, the Bonus Buy panel of ELK Studios is available in Cygnus 5, providing up to 5 potential boosters. Players can activate any of them by playing the displayed price for a guaranteed effect as it follows:

• Bonus Hunt - 3x the bet - more than 3x the chance to trigger Bonus and Super Bonus
• Meteros - 10x the bet - guaranteed Meteor Strike in the following spin's First Drop
• Prisms - 25x the bet - guaranteed at least 2 Prisms in the following spin's First Drop
• Bonus Game - 100x the bet - guaranteed Bonus Game entry
• Super Bonus - 50x the bet - guaranteed Super Bonus Game entry entry and a Meteor Strike feature in every free drop

Theme & Graphics

As I mentioned at the beginning of this article, Cygnus 5 is a mysterious game inspired by the almost magical bond between Deneb and Gyze Pyramids. The bright star is 700 million light-years from our planet and several extra kilometers after that to reach Egypt. However, the ancient pyramids are located exactly beneath it in the night sky.

The original Cygnus slot came out with an Egyptian theme, but the sequels did not follow and went around the world. The second game led us to an astronomical observatory with a Medieval vibe, while the third and fourth went to the Colosseum and the Tower of London. All are great places to observe the night sky and the swan-like constellation. Well, Cygnus 5 takes us back to Ancient Egypt!

Cygnus 5 comes with the expected fine quality of graphics, animations, and audio settings. It's hard to expect otherwise from a provider like ELK Studios, where attention to detail is beatified. The game is HTML5-optimized and also performs ideally on any desktop and mobile device, including various Android and iOS portables.

Pros And Cons Of Cygnus 5 Slot

Our Verdict

Cygnus 5 retains the most exciting elements of the series and adds new features, like the Prism symbols. Combined with the Gravity, Avalanche, and Free Drops bonuses, they truly increase the slot's entertainment potential. Of course, I do not forget the Multipliers and Meteor Strike, although they are far from innovative.

Cygnus 5 is very close to Cygnus 2 in terms of features and excitement and shares the same payout potential of a gigantic 50,000x. ELK Studios obviously decided to stay away from adding too-classic elements in the series, like the rather unsuccessful experiment with the Cygnus Wheel in the Cygnus 3 slot.

All new elements in the 5th tale are nice add-ons without bringing innovation and will certainly draw the attention of all studio fans. The series, however, seems to have reached its limit, and it'll be interesting to see the next move of the provider. Perhaps it will concentrate on the 5th sequel of the Pirots series or will run spin-offs as it did with the Nitropolis saga.

Although these series are essentially different from one another, they show the company's dedication to leaving a legacy. It's not just a massive portfolio filled with beautifully designed games but nothing behind the scripts. Time will tell, but I have a hunch that we haven’t seen the Cygnus grand finale yet!