BetSoft has released another online pokie, and this one has the bizarre title of Miles Bellhouse and the Gears of Time. This is the second in a series, with the first being Miles Bellhouse and His Curious Machine.

It’s an unusual little game, but it does boast lots of bonus options, as well as an impressive RTP. For more info, please continue reading.

Where to Play Gears of Time

If you want to try out Gears of Time, you’ll first have to find an online casino that offers games from BetSoft. In the case of Australian punters, I would recommend virtual options such as Johnny Kash and House of Pokies.

RTP

RTP stands for “return to player,” and it measures the long-term payback percentage of a specific poker machine. If, for example, a game has an RTP of 94%, then players can expect to win an average of $94 for every $100 wagered.

The RTP for Gears of Time is listed at 96.98%. That’s an outstanding percentage, and it’s far superior to land-based games. Even if every other facet of the game was lousy, this would be reason enough to recommend it.

Wager Options

Gears of Time offers 11 betting options. The lowest is $0.05, while the highest is $50. Regardless of which bet you choose, this pokie is designed with low rollers in mind. Punters with a medium-sized bankroll might also enjoy the game on occasion, but high rollers will want to look elsewhere.

Clusters of Time

During each spin, the game randomly selects five spots on the 5×5 grid. Then, symbols cascade down from the top to fill up all positions.

When the cascade ends, any of the random spots may be covered by a winning cluster of symbols. The more clusters, the greater the chance of triggering one of the game’s time traveling events. Covering all five positions automatically triggers the Free Spins bonus.

Time Traveling Features

Depending on how many winning clusters are formed during a spin, the player may trigger one of the three time traveling features. These include the following:

  • Past – Triggers a re-play of your last spin.
  • Present – Applies a multiplier to wins (anywhere from 2x to 20x).
  • Future – Selects a random symbol and provides 10 or more of these icons during a free re-spin.

Gears of Time virtual pokie reels

Gears of Time Cluster Paytable

Instead of the usual pokie combos, wins are determined by the size of the cluster. All cluster pays are multiplied by the bet amount, and non-adjacent clusters pay separately. The size of a cluster ranges from three to 25.

The more you risk, the more a winning cluster is worth. Below, I’m using a wager of $20 per spin as an example.

  • Bronze Gear – This lowest-paying symbol in the game is worth anywhere from $4 to $400.
  • Silver Gear – The 23 payout options for this icon range from $8 to $600.
  • Gold Gear – This golden gear pays anywhere from $12 to $1000.
  • Mad Scientist Glasses – These bizarre glasses range in value from $16 to $1400.
  • Time Travel Device – Three clusters pay $24, while 25 clusters are worth the maximum of $2000.
  • Gizmo – This steam-powered robotic assistant of Miles is worth anywhere from $32 (three) to $3000 (25).
  • Miles Bellhouse – The clusters for this mad scientist symbol range from $40 (three clusters) to $4000 (25 clusters).

Time Charged Wilds

This symbol looks like a vortex of swirling energy and acts as a portal through time. For the purposes of the game, it also serves as a wild icon. This means it substitutes for all other icons in order to create a winning cluster.

Free Spins Round

The Free Spins round triggers when a winning cluster covers all five random positions on the grid. Before the bonus round begins, the player must choose one of three time streams. These include:

  • Past – Player receives 12 free spins. An extra re-cascade is included at the end of each spin.
  • Present – 10 free spins are awarded to the player. Each winning spin has a random multiplier (2x to 20x) added to it.
  • Future – Player receives six free spins. Each spin, a random symbol is guaranteed to appear at least 10 times. A new symbol is randomly chosen during each spin.

Final Thoughts

Despite the clunky name, Miles Bellhouse and the Gears of Time is worth checking out. Sure, the designers could’ve done a better job fleshing out the game’s backstory, but the above-average RTP renders that a moot point. Add in numerous bonus rounds and features, and you’ve got an appealing game with impressive payout potential.

Additional Reading

For more poker machine reviews, please see the following articles: