Psycho from NextGen Gaming: Slot Review - check into the Bates Motel!

This game is based on the famous psychological thriller directed by Alfred Hitchcock and released way back in 1960. I remember seeing this movie many years ago and I jumped quite a few times! It is widely regarded as one of the best movies of all time and it is still as popular and relevant now as it was back then. There is even a TV series called Bates Motel that is currently running at the moment and it follows the descent of Norman Bates into madness and how he becomes a murderer.

The game is a 5 reel slot with 25 paylines and it features Psycho Wilds, Free Spins and a Gamble option.

Special Features

The first feature I noticed while playing this game is the Wild symbol and this is denoted by the word “Wild” in dark red letters. It substitutes for all symbols except the Scatter symbol. Wilds may be added to any spin in the main game and any win with Wild symbols may be multiplied by 2X, 3X, 4X, 5X, 10X, or even 20X! This is known as the Psycho Wilds feature and if you are lucky enough to land a 20X multiplier then you will receive a grand payout.

A picture of a Haunted House is the Scatter symbol and If you land 3 or more of these symbols then you will trigger the Free Games feature. In this game, you will be awarded 10. 15, or 20 Free Games depending on how many Scatter symbols you land to activate the feature. Wilds can also appear in this feature and wins may be multiplied 2X, 4X, 6X, 8X, 10X, 20X or even an eye-popping 40X! It is also possible to retrigger this feature if you land 3 or more Scatter symbols during the feature.

The last feature to mention is the Gamble game. This feature initiates when you form a win on the reels and it involves picking a colour or a suit of a card. If you guess the colour of a card correctly then your win is doubled but if you guess the suit correctly then your win is quadrupled! Winnings can be gambled up to 5 times.

Theme, Graphics and Sound

The game is graphically superb and looks like a scene cut right from the movie. The moment you load the game up, you are treated to a grainy intro video of your arrival at the infamous Bates motel and this sets the tone really well. There is an ominous looking house in the background with a flickering Bates Motel sign to the right of the reels. Lightning strikes the reels from time to time and this is mixed with roars of Thunder. This slot is definitely not for the faint of heart! Symbols consist of characters from the movie such as Marion and Detective Arbogast as well as props like hotel keys and money envelopes.

The music is excellent and quite atmospheric. There are nice hints of the original Psycho soundtrack and it compliments the game extremely well as it heightens the tension as you spin the reels.

Win lines, Payouts and Jackpots

The game has 25 paylines, an okay RTP of 95.56%, and a maximum payout worth 1,500X your wager.

Below is a summary taken from the PayOut Table from the game. The amount won for each combination depends on the value of the bet when you spin the reels.

Bet Range: 0.25, 0.50, 0.75, 1.00, 1.25, 2.50, 5.00, 6.25, 12.50, 25.00, 50.00, 62.50

• Psycho Scatter Symbol: 25 for 2X, 50 for 3X, 375 for 4X, 2,500 for 5X
• Psycho Wild Symbol: 2 for 2X, 25 for 3X, 250 for 4X, 1,250 for 5X
• Marion Crane Symbol: 1 for 2X, 25 for 3X, 200 for 4X, 1,000 for 5X
• Detective Arbogast Symbol: 1 for 2X, 20 for 3X, 100 for 4X, 250 for 5X
• Peep Hole Symbol: 15 for 3X, 50 for 4X, 200 for 5X
• Money Envelope Symbol: 15 for 3X, 50 for 4X, 200 for 5X
• Hotel Key Symbol: 10 for 3X, 30 for 4X, 150 for 5X
• A Symbol: 10 for 3X, 30 for 4X, 150 for 5X
• K Symbol: 5 for 3X, 25 for 4X, 125 for 5X
• Q Symbol: 5 for 3X, 25 for 4X, 125 for 5X
• J Symbol: 5 for 3X, 20 for 4X, 100 for 5X
• 10 Symbol: 5 for 3X, 20 for 4X, 100 for 5X

Our Verdict on Psycho

Psycho is produced by NextGen Gaming and it’s a fine tribute to a truly scary movie. The presentation is superb and it really does immerse you deep inside the Bates Motel. Even though there are not that many features, I think that the Free Spins game provides lots of replay value and it is a nice bonus that this feature can be retriggered. The game is a Medium to High variance slot, so expect to invest some time before getting a decent payout.

Take a trip to a motel you won't forget in a hurry in Psycho!