Avalon 2 Slot Review - Quest for the Grail

Provider	Microgaming

Avalon 2: Quest for the Grail Slot Review

Microgaming's original Avalon slot was a hit, so a sequel was always on the cards. Avalon 2: Quest for the Grail went much further than most follow-ups dare to go - eight distinct bonus rounds, cinematic 3D graphics, and an epic feel that sets it apart from the thousands of Arthurian-themed games that followed. Released in 2014, it remains one of Microgaming's most technically ambitious slots.

The game sits on five reels with 243 ways to win, which means matching symbols on adjacent reels from left to right counts as a win - no specific paylines to track. Bets run from £0.30 to £7.50 per spin, keeping it accessible for most budgets.

Quick Facts

Provider	Microgaming
Reels / Ways	5 reels, 243 ways to win
RTP	95.92%
Volatility	Medium
Bet Range	£0.30 - £7.50
Max Win	16,200x stake
Bonus Rounds	8 (Grail Quest progression)
Theme	Arthurian legend / Holy Grail

Theme and Graphics

The Arthurian theme is handled with real care here. The background score is orchestral and brooding, and the 3D character animations - Arthur, Guinevere, Morgan le Fay, the Black Knight, Merlin - all look impressive compared to what was being released around the same time. Symbol design distinguishes between character faces and standard card ranks, with the Jack through Ace values given a stained-glass medieval treatment rather than just floating in empty space.

The map interface used to track your progress through the eight bonus stages looks like a fantasy game world map - which is exactly what it should look like. This is one of the few slots where the bonus structure feels like a journey rather than a feature trigger.

Base Game Features

Two features can activate during normal play without needing to trigger the bonus:

Merlin Wild Multiplier - Merlin can appear at random after any spin, including non-winning ones. When he shows up after a losing spin, he awards a cash prize directly. After a winning spin, he adds a multiplier to the win. This random activation keeps the base game interesting between bonus triggers.

Lady of the Lake Expanding Wild - The Lady of the Lake acts as an expanding wild that covers the entire third reel when she lands there. She substitutes for all standard symbols, which can significantly improve an otherwise modest base game spin.

The wild symbol is the goblet, which pays in any position across the reels and substitutes for standard symbols. The Holy Grail is the scatter symbol - land three or more anywhere to trigger the main feature.

Bonus Features: The Grail Quest

The Grail Bonus is the centrepiece of the game, and it is unlike most bonus structures. Instead of a single free spins round, you work through eight sequential stages on a quest to bring the Holy Grail back to Avalon. Each stage has its own mechanic.

1. Lake of Legend - A dice-based game where you roll to collect sword fragments that form Excalibur. Matching dice numbers to fragment positions builds up multipliers.

2. Misty Vale - 15 free spins with a choosable wild symbol carrying a 2x multiplier throughout. Before the spins begin, you pick the symbol that will act as wild, which adds a small strategic element.

3. Whispering Woods - A pick-me round with shields to choose from. Each shield hides a multiplier starting at 10x and reaching up to 160x your stake.

4. Forest Falls - 20 free spins with a 1x multiplier and a Trailing Wild mechanic. When a wild lands on either of the top two rows, it expands downward through the reel. Rolling Reels also activate here - consecutive wins cause symbols to cascade, building a multiplier trail.

5. Dusky Moors - A picking game with 12 items on screen. You make choices until you reveal two matching helmets, each carrying a multiplier between 6x and 20x.

6. Morgan's Keep - Free spins where each consecutive winning spin increases the multiplier by 1x, up to a maximum of 6x. Chains of wins here can accumulate quickly.

7. Hall of Shadows - A battle sequence against the Black Knight. You choose to attack or block, and successful moves award cash prizes.

8. Isle of Avalon - The final stage and the one with the highest ceiling. Four wheels are spun in sequence, and you need to hit zero on the third wheel to reach the fourth. The numbers across all wheels are added together to produce your final multiplier. This is where the biggest wins in the game come from.

After each stage, you choose the path to your next bonus round rather than being assigned one automatically. The branching structure means repeat play-throughs of the Grail Quest rarely feel identical.

Rolling Reels and Trailing Wilds

These two mechanics appear specifically within the Forest Falls bonus round and add meaningful complexity to what would otherwise be a standard free spins feature.

Rolling Reels (Microgaming's version of a cascade mechanic) removes winning symbols after each win and drops new ones down to fill the gaps. Each consecutive win in the same spin sequence increases a multiplier. In a sustained run, this can generate significantly larger payouts than a single static win would.

Trailing Wilds work with the expanded wild mechanic - when a wild lands on row one or row two, it extends downward through the reel. Combined with Rolling Reels, a wild landing at the top of a reel can participate in multiple consecutive cascades.

How to Play Avalon 2

The controls sit at the bottom of the screen and are clean enough that most players will find their footing within a few spins.

Set your coin size and the number of coins per line using the bet controls. The range runs from £0.30 to £7.50 total per spin.
Hit Spin to play a single round, or use Autoplay to set a number of spins to run automatically.
Watch for three or more Holy Grail scatter symbols to trigger the Grail Quest.
In each bonus stage, follow the on-screen prompts - some rounds play automatically while others require you to make picks.
Review the paytable before playing. The eight bonus stages have different mechanics, and knowing what each one involves helps you understand what you are working toward.

Pros and Cons

What works:

Eight distinct bonus rounds with genuine variety between them
Progressive bonus structure gives a sense of narrative progression
Rolling Reels and Trailing Wilds add mechanical depth to Forest Falls
Strong 3D graphics and cinematic sound design
Max win of 16,200x is substantial for a game of this age

Worth knowing:

RTP of 95.92% is slightly below average for modern slots - see our high RTP slots guide for alternatives
Medium volatility means the big wins come from the bonus, not the base game
The bonus trigger can feel infrequent during dry spells
Some of the eight bonus stages are more rewarding than others

Mobile Play

Avalon 2 was originally a Flash-based game, but Microgaming converted it to HTML5. The HTML5 version runs on mobile browsers and is available at most casinos that carry the game in their Microgaming library. The control layout adapts to touchscreen play, though the complexity of the bonus stages means the action is better appreciated on a larger screen.

Similar Microgaming Slots

If the Arthurian theme appeals, Thunderstruck II follows a similar multi-stage bonus structure and is worth trying alongside Avalon 2. The original Avalon slot also remains available for players who want to compare the two.

Verdict

Avalon 2 is one of Microgaming's better efforts from the mid-2010s and holds up well in the current market. The Grail Quest bonus structure - eight rounds with different mechanics, player choices between stages, and a real sense of progression - is more sophisticated than most slots released today. The base game has enough going on between bonus triggers to stay interesting, and the maximum potential of 16,200x gives the Isle of Avalon final stage real weight.

The RTP of 95.92% is a fraction below what you would find on many newer releases, and the bonus does not trigger as often as some players would like. But when it does arrive, the range of mechanics across the eight stages makes it worth the wait.

What is the RTP of Avalon 2?

Avalon 2 has an RTP of 95.92%. This is slightly below the modern average but typical for Microgaming slots from this era.

How do you trigger the Grail Bonus in Avalon 2?

Land three or more Holy Grail scatter symbols anywhere on the reels during the base game. This triggers the Grail Quest, which takes you through up to eight sequential bonus rounds.

How many bonus rounds does Avalon 2 have?

Avalon 2 has eight bonus rounds in the Grail Quest: Lake of Legend, Misty Vale, Whispering Woods, Forest Falls, Dusky Moors, Morgan's Keep, Hall of Shadows, and Isle of Avalon. Each has a different mechanic.

What is the maximum win in Avalon 2?

The maximum win in Avalon 2 is 16,200x your stake. The biggest wins come from the Isle of Avalon bonus round, the final stage of the Grail Quest.

What is the Merlin feature in Avalon 2?

Merlin can appear randomly during the base game at any time. After a losing spin he awards a cash prize; after a winning spin he adds a multiplier to your win. It activates independently of the Grail Bonus trigger.

Is Avalon 2 available on mobile?

Yes. The original Flash version has been converted to HTML5, so Avalon 2 runs on mobile browsers and is compatible with iOS and Android devices at supported casinos.