Slot Description
Book of Dead opens on a standard 5-reel, 3-row grid with 10 paylines. However, the paylines are not fixed, and you can adjust them according to your preference. Bets start from 0.01 coins and move up to 50 coins per spin. Although slots these days give you a much wider betting scope. The betting limits of Book of Dead are pretty decent, as well. With these moderate wagering requirements, you can rake in up to 5,000x the stake, which serves to be good enough even to this day.
However, the way to win doesn't go without impediments. The slot runs on high variance, which suggests wins won’t come frequently. Still, the chances of landing lucrative payouts remain a possibility in this game. Also, Book of Dead RTP 96.21% is another impressive stat worth considering. The score implies that for every 100 coins wagered, you can get back around 96.21 coins. But since RTPs are theoretical and computed over millions of spins, we’d recommend not relying too much on them.
The fact that we are still curious to know more about a game released in 2016 is a testament to how commendable the slot is. Even in our first impression, we loved the minimalism that has gone into the gameplay and design. Surely, a minimalistic approach might not be enough now, especially when game providers like Hacksaw Gaming and Nolimit City are stacking their portfolios with highly nuanced and feature-heavy slots. But let’s explore the slot further to find out what secret gems the Book holds.
Theme, Design, and Sound
Book of Dead might exude a slightly dated vibe, but it borders more on nostalgia than something outdated. Since it is an Egyptian-themed slot, the action takes place inside an opulent ancient Egyptian temple. Even with a minimalist design, the regal appeal is hard to miss out on. The golden hue shining from every part of the screen adds to the motif of how affluent Egyptian royalty was. Including Rich Wilde into the mix also makes sense, as he will sort of represent players and explore the ruins in search of something precious.
Even though the background score uses typical sounds to represent ancient Egypt, we cannot lay the blame on Play’n Go since this was one of the first few slots on this subject matter. However, once you hit the spin button, the music turns lively.
Symbols and Payouts
Book of Dead has 5 royals and four high-paying symbols. With the royals, you can win 10x to 15x the stake for landing five matching ones. On the other hand, high-pay symbols include Scarab, Anubis, and Pharaoh, offering 75x to 200x the stake for landing a five-of-a-kind winning combination. And finally, Rich Wilde is the most premium game symbol, offering a whopping 500x the stake when five of them line up in the same spin. This further implies that getting Rich Wilde wins on all the 10 active paylines will unlock the max prize of 5,000x the stake.
Note that while you need 3 matching symbols to qualify for payouts, the high-paying symbol in Book of Dead rakes in payouts even when two of them land on consecutive reels from the leftmost position.
Also, the Tomb is wild and scatter at the same time. As a wild, the Tomb substitutes for any other pay symbol. And as a scatter, it can help you trigger the free spins bonus feature. In addition to this, the Tomb symbols fetch payouts up to 20x the stake.
Features and Bonuses
Book of Dead turns out to be a rather simple game with only one bonus feature. However, you get an additional gamble option to increase your winnings further.
Free Spins
Keep an eye on the Book of Dead symbol since it is both a wild and scatter symbol. Hitting 3 Book of Dead scatters in the same spin triggers 10 free spins. Before the feature starts, a random paying symbol, except the scatter, gets selected to be the expanding symbol. Whenever this symbol lands, it expands to cover the entire reel, giving players an increased chance of creating wins. Also, hitting 3 scatters during free spins retriggers the feature. Besides, there is no cap on the possible number of retriggers.
Gamble
Whenever a win lands, the Gamble button is enabled to increase your winnings further. Guessing the right color (red or black) doubles your win, whereas guessing the right suit awards multiplies your winnings by 4x. Of course, the wrong guess will take away all your winnings.
About the Game Provider
Play’n Go has been producing top-quality slots since 2005. The brand, along with NetEnt and Microgaming, are considered to be the pioneers of online slot games. Play’n Go’s large catalog of popular slots like Book of Dead, Reactoonz, Legacy of Dead, Tome of Madness, etc., shows how adept the company is in developing slots of exceptional quality.
Play’n Go stresses a lot on the game’s visual appeal, payout potential, and mobile gaming. In fact, the game provider was among the first few to initiate the drive for creating mobile-oriented slots. Today, you can easily play any of your favorite Play’n Go slots in several online gambling platforms and top-tier crypto casinos.
Final Verdict
Rich Wilde and the Book of Dead continues to be a popular slot in online casinos. While new slots are released every year with greater max pay potential, a large set of features, and lush visuals, Book of Dead retains its organic appeal. The slot goes to show how greatness can be achieved even from utter simplicity. But this doesn’t mean Book of Dead is all about nostalgia. On the contrary, the slot offers plenty that players still find relevant.
Given it is a 2016 slot, having a max pay potential of 5,000x the stake is something worth paying attention to. Add to this a lucrative paytable where even the low-paying ones can offer a chunky sum. Once we plunge deeper into the game, it becomes evident how carefully crafted the game is. Getting premium symbols to pay even when two-of-a-kind show up across a payline was a really smart move. Also, the Gamble button bears all the potential to double or quadruple your wins. Hence, it’s the constant prospect of landing something big that makes this slot so highly popular.
Book of Dead’s criticism runs the risk of falling into nitpicking. But it is undoubtedly the case that a more modernized look with higher resolution and an extra set of bonus features could have made the gameplay more engaging. Even so, Book of Dead manages to keep the gameplay smooth for the greater part, and for the design elements, many players rather enjoy the nostalgic and classic feel that comes with the game.
Book of Dead is the star of Play’n Go’s portfolio, and for the right reasons. After its tremendous success, numerous game providers have tried to initiate its model, including Play’n Go itself. But the impact of the original overshadows every other release. In simple terms, Book of Dead remains a dominant force to be reckoned with years after its launch.
