Aftershock Frenzy is a classic slot, and the sequel to Scientific Games’ (SG) previously released Aftershock. It came out a year later, in 2015, and promised to improve on the original. In the end, it wasn’t so much of a sequel as a re-release.

The game still boasts the same special features are before! Free spins with guaranteed wins, multipliers that go up to 6x, and sticky Wilds all make a triumphant return. They’re joined by the Big Bet button.. and nothing else.

Introduction, including RTP and variance

Aftershock Frenzy is played on a 3×3 board with 5 fixed paylines. If you’re used to video slots, this kind of simplified playing field might take some getting used to. Collect three identical symbols from left to right that follow one of the active paylines, and you receive the appropriate cash prize. Even more, if Double or Triple Aftershock Wilds are part of the win!

The theoretical payout for this SG release is 95% without Big Bet, and 97% if it’s active. This is an actual downgrade compared to the original’s 96.06%. It was only pushed through to make the Big Bet addition seem better. So, in an effort to improve the original, the developer did the opposite and made it worse.

We might have forgiven them if they gave us the game’s variance, but no luck on that front either. Best we can tell, it still has medium volatility.

Gameplay and Pay Table

Available symbols are exactly the same as in the original Aftershock. Not a good thing, given our issues with the previous iteration. Once again, it’s a literal swarm of lucky sevens and bar icons competing for your attention. They’re bright, colorful, and eye-catching! But we were hoping for some more unique artwork from the re-release.

Fortunately, Wilds are there to save the day. Like with other symbols, the design hasn’t changed from the original SG release. The Double and Triple Aftershock Wild combo still remains the most valuable set of icons on the playing field. The cash prize has been upgraded and will earn you 2500x your total stake instead of just 2000x.

Bonus Features

During any wagered spin, there’s a chance free spins will be activated. This means the special feature cannot fire while extra turns are already being played. You can get a maximum of seven free spins in a single round. How many you get is random each time, so you could also only get two or three. The slot makes up for this by ensuring each free spin is a guaranteed win!

Then, there are also Double and Triple Aftershock Wilds. Double Aftershock Wilds come with a 2x multiplier and can appear on the first and third reel. Triple Aftershock Wilds have a 3x multiplier attached, and can only appear on the second reel. If you have two Double Aftershock Wilds appear at the same time, their multipliers will combine into a 4x increase. The same thing happens with a single Double Aftershock Wild and a Triple Aftershock Wild, for a 6x multiplier.

If a Double or Triple Aftershock Wild lands on or one position from the center reel, then Shocking Wilds is triggered. This bonus makes the trigger Wild sticky – it will remain on the board until free spins end. The Wild will be nudged back and forth, constantly changing positions.

The new addition to the game is the Big Bet button. You play five linked spins, during which Double Aftershock Wilds are replaced by Triple Aftershock Wilds. This allows for a 9x multiplier if you collect two Triple Aftershock Wilds at once.

CasinoWizard’s verdict: 3 out of 5 stars

The special features are great, but that’s more of a testament to the original’s quality. The sole addition of the Big Bet bonus does have some merits, but it comes with an obvious RTP downgrade.

The actual symbol designs haven’t been altered much. But the user interface has now been altered to more closely resemble physical machines. The big red buttons are still there, but it now has a more 3D appearance. It is an improvement, though not a major one.

As we mentioned earlier, the RTP has taken a hit and is now only 95% outside of Big Bet. For that reason, we recommend sticking to the original Aftershock unless you plan on using the Big Bet special feature. The updated version is better in some areas, but none of them are worth going 1% below the current average.

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