
Yggdrasil Gaming has done it again. The popular casino game provider brought out a new addition to the Valley of the Gods series and it’s called Valley of the Dead.
Unlike the games before it (the original Valley of the Gods and its sequel Valley of the Gods 2), the latest installment is dark and spooky with skulls, spirits and danger everywhere. It has many of the same mechanics as the original Valley of the Gods game(s) but with new features, new betting options and a moodier visual and audio theme to make it stand out.
In this review we’ll go into the gameplay, features and everything you need to know about this creepy slot.
The symbols in Valley of the Dead are all about the darker side of Ancient Egypt with skulls, mystical items and Egyptian gods on the reels. The low value symbols are 6 coins each paying between 1x and 1.6x your bet for a 5 of a kind winning combination. The high value symbols are 4 character icons and 5 of a kind of any of them will pay 10x to 20x your bet.
Valley of the Dead is played on a 5 reel grid (1-3-5-3-1) with 243 ways to win at the start of each spin. The game has a unique mechanic where the ways to win can increase as the game goes on. When winning combinations land, the symbols will trigger respins and as they do the BoltLock symbols (greyed out skulls) are removed from the grid expanding the potential for future wins. As the BoltLock symbols are removed, the ways to win can grow up to 3125 ways to win.
Valley of the Dead takes a darker approach to the Ancient Egyptian theme with glowing skulls, spirits and mystical symbols. The game is set in a misty space with skulls floating around and a sense of foreboding in every corner of the screen. The atmosphere is enhanced by the soundtrack which has haunting melodies and subtle sound effects that get more intense as you play.
The grid is surrounded by a menacing border and the symbols are designed to look supernatural with skulls, gods and mystical icons.
This game has an RTP of 94% which is lower than the original Valley of the Gods (96.2%) so it’s a bit less generous overall. But it’s medium high volatility so while wins may not come as often as in lower volatility games they can be big when they do. You can bet from €0.25 to €100 per spin so both casual players and high rollers can play at their preferred bet size.
If you want a more controlled experience Valley of the Dead has OnlyWins and Multi OnlyWins modes which can be activated for a fixed cost.
Unlike the original Valley of the Gods, the new game doesn’t have wild symbols which makes the game a bit more challenging but this is balanced by the other features and mechanics of the game which give you plenty of ways to win without wilds.
The main feature in Valley of the Dead is the respin mechanic which is triggered whenever a winning combination lands on the reels. When a win occurs each winning symbol releases a Skull which removes a BoltLock symbol from the grid. As the BoltLock symbols are removed more ways to win are added. This continues with each respin as long as new winning combinations land.
The respins can snowball into a long sequence as each win increases the ways to win and removes more BoltLock symbols from the grid. This can lead to big wins especially when the grid is at its maximum 3125 ways to win.
Once all the BoltLock symbols are removed and the maximum ways to win are unlocked Valley of the Dead introduces two more features: multipliers and extra lives.
If you want to be sure to win on every spin Valley of the Dead has two special modes: OnlyWins and Multi OnlyWins. OnlyWins costs 4.4x your bet per spin and guarantees a win on every spin. This mode removes the uncertainty of whether a spin will win or not and is perfect for players who prefer a more controlled experience.
For an even more thrilling experience, you can choose the Multi OnlyWins mode which costs 44x your bet for 10 spins. This mode takes the excitement to the next level by guaranteeing a win on every spin and also potentially triggering multipliers and extra lives as you play.
Valley of the Dead is a great slot that combines exciting gameplay with a dark theme. The respin feature with the removal of BoltLock symbols and the expansion of ways to win creates a thrilling experience that can lead to big wins. The multipliers and extra lives add more to the game and gives you more chances to win big.
The RTP is lower than the original Valley of the Gods but the new features and dark theme makes it different. The OnlyWins and Multi OnlyWins modes add an extra layer of excitement and allows you to customise your gameplay.
If you like high volatility slots with a gothic and eerie atmosphere Valley of the Dead is worth a try. Whether you like the features or the visuals it’s a unique and thrilling slot that will keep you on the edge of your seat.
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