Centurio Slot Review

Off to Rome we go with Centurio, a 5-reel, 5-winline real cash slot machine that has an epic design and a surprising bonus feature. This game may look small, but it packs a mighty punch, delivering equal amounts of convention and innovation. Merkur seem to have done it again.

Re-inventing a theme, or at the very least re-imagining it, is challenging for any brand, but Merkur seem to have done it with ease, putting their own stamp on Rome and centurions. As is their custom, the volatility is medium and the variety low to medium, but that isn’t to say excitement can’t be found here. Quite the contrary.

Into Battle

The aesthetic of this particular slot is one of battle, quite a large scale one raging in the background of the 3×5 matrix. Although a lot of the image is concealed by the reels, gamers can make out the action that’s unfolding. It makes for a very stirring backdrop, and one that sets your nerves alive rather than setting you at ease. This probably isn’t one to play if you want to chill out.

In regards to the graphics themselves, they feel somewhat dated by today’s standards, but there’s still a freshness about them that enables a certain level of adaptability by Centurio. In short, it can appeal to various gamers, not just those more classically inclined. Furthermore, the theme is well executed and thorough, if not fully implemented across every section of the paytable.

Eye of the Storm

Let’s get down to that bonus round, for it’s one of the rare occasions where the brand actually has included one. It’s called the Scatter Feature, and contrary to what you might think, it isn’t all about free spins.

There are two different types of centurion icons that can land on the grid, a close up of a face and one of the full torso. These two pictures must both be in play for the round to trigger, with the full face image on the first reel and the other tile on the fifth; only when you get that combination will the mini level begin.

The level will reveal a selection process to find your feature symbol, which basically runs through all the symbols of the paytable. Once one is picked it will cover the entire first and fifth reel. Therefore, the remaining reels will spin to create multiple winning lines. It’s a highly rewarding round most of the time, though not all of your wins will be substantial, but such is the luck of the draw.

Collect or Gamble?

If you’ve played with Merkur before, you’ll know the score, but if not then you’ll soon come to realise that after a win, two gamble options appear. No matter your choice, you will enter into a daring double or nothing round, where you can gain ample winnings or see them disappear entirely.

What makes Centurio a more friendly experience is that a collect half setting is available, for those of you that want to be brave but don’t want to be foolish about it. Both gamble options have this feature and so you can take advantage of it whenever the urge takes you; handy for those ‘oops’ moments.

Hard Going

Battles aren’t meant to be easy, and so expecting the challenge presented here to be so is rather naive. That being said, we weren’t quite expecting such a tough struggle on our hands. The volatility seems to dip up and down as you play – sometimes it feels like the wins come all too easily, and then the next moment you can barely find a win. It’s most perplexing and can be very frustrating. The trick is to not give up and to carry on.

The Victor

For us, Centurio wasn’t an overly brilliant slot machine, though we have to admit that the bonus round is an inspired way of mixing up the standard free games format. This is a playable title, but it undoubtedly isn’t going to be the best you’ve experienced.