why do some slots feel completely different from others

So is it just me, or do some slots feel like you’re wrestling with a vending machine that’s already eaten your money, and others actually give you a little bit of hope? Sometimes I can spin a game for half an hour and actually enjoy the up-and-down, but then another one will just suck the fun right out in like five spins flat. There’s games where it feels like you get bonus teases every other spin and then others where the reels are just hypnotizing wallpaper.

I know there’s stuff like volatility and RTP and whatever else buried in the rules, but half the time it feels more about how the game plays than just the numbers. Is there something deeper going on with the way these are built, or is it all just clever sound effects and flashy lights messing with our heads? How do you pick a new slot to try when so many feel completely different even if the stats are the same?