The Faces of Freya

The Faces of Freya: Slot Overview

In the realm of slot games, and more broadly in popular culture, there's a noticeable tilt towards male deities like Thor, Odin, and Loki. Yet, goddesses, especially those from Norse mythology like Freya, often find themselves overshadowed. Our society, perhaps, still clings to remnants of its patriarchal past. Fascinatingly, Freya wasn't a passive goddess; she was an active figure who, according to some old Norse poems, had interactions with elves, gods, and even her own brother. Moreover, she was a proficient practitioner of seidhr, a form of Norse magic, which she shared with humans and deities alike. Her intriguing character undoubtedly deserves more attention.

This brings us to The Faces of Freya , a creation by the innovative Swedish game developer, Play'n GO Play'n GO is known for its relentless release schedule, which often means exploring a wide variety of themes for its games. While some concepts are more successful than others, this one appears particularly promising. The visuals shine with vibrant summer imagery, offering a refreshing departure from the typical icy aesthetics of Norse-themed slots.

The game unfolds over 5 reels and boasts 20 fixed paylines , set against a lush, summer landscape bordered by hills that suggest a fjord's edge. The serene setting could be thought of as Folkvangr, the verdant field over which Freya presides, welcoming those who perished in battle but didn't make it to Valhalla. Mystical figures, like a dragon and an indistinguishable beast, add to the ambiance, while the reels, adorned with Celtic patterns, enhance the magical setting befitting the goddess of beauty, fertility, love, and war.

Even within such enchanting surroundings, numbers are crucial. Players can delve into Freya's world on any device, placing bets that range from 20 p/c per spin to $/€100 . Aiming at a more casual audience, The Faces of Freya features medium volatility and a default RTP of 96.2% , although it's subject to variation.

The game incorporates symbols such as card suits styled as runes, along with axes, a boar, Freya's chariot-pulling cats, and her bracelet. Scoring five high-value symbols in a row awards payouts ranging from 10 to 17.5x the bet . Freya herself acts as the wild symbol, substituting regular symbols, and lining up five of her wild symbols yields a 20x the bet prize.

The Faces of Freya: Slot Features

The game's feature set is heavily focused on free spins, with four types available. Freya's necklace, Brisingamen, serves as the scatter. Landing exactly three of these scatters triggers one of three minor free spins rounds — Spins of Sorcery, Spins of Love, or Spins of War. Hitting four or five scatters unlocks the ultimate free spins mode, Folkvang.

The three minor rounds initiate with 6 free spins and unique modifiers. During the Spins of Sorcery , axe, boar, and cat symbols receive upgrades . The Spins of Love adds 2 to 5 wilds on the reels. In the Spins of War , winnings are amplified by a multiplier ranging from x2 to x20. Each scatter also grants an additional free spin.

The crown jewel is the Folkvang free spins , offering 4 levels of play. A total of 18 or 19 free spins are gained via scatter collection:

• Level 1: Spins of Sorcery grants 5 spins with axes transforming to boars at the beginning. Collect 3 scatters to change boars to cats, and 5 scatters to shift cats to bracelets.
• Level 2: Spins of Love provides 5 spins starting with 2 random wilds per spin. Accrue 3, 5, or 7 scatters to boost wilds to 3, 4, or 5.
• Level 3: Spins of War begins with a 5-spin sequence offering a multiplier starting at x2, growing to x3, x5, x10, and x20 contingent on the collection of 3, 5, 7, or 9 scatters.
• Level 4: Spins of Folkvang sees the activation of all previously achieved modifiers. Depending on how the feature was initiated, players get either 3 or 4 spins.

The Faces of Freya: Slot Verdict

The Faces of Freya is a solid outing by Play'n GO, leveraging Freya's theme to its fullest. Some may find its volatility level lacking, but it compensates with potentially explosive gameplay, notably through the varied free spin tiers. Triggering Folkvang spins might sway skeptics, as the game can explode into chaos.

Reaching the final level of Folkvang spins with rich modifiers generally predicts a rewarding outcome. Play'n GO has implemented a win cap, halting proceedings at 5,000 times the stake . The game is an all-or-nothing affair, as Freya rarely showers wealth outside the free spins. However, landing just two scatters can spur a lower-tier free spin round if the third happens to nudge into place.

Play'n GO seems to effortlessly expand their collection of mid-volatility slot games with this installment. While patience is needed during the base game, triggering the free spins feels like you've earned Freya's blessing.