You’ll have a good idea of what to expect if you’re familiar with either of those two kinds of slots. The studio has done a great job at recreating the appearance and feel of the original, and they’ve even included the symbol upgrade that makes Eye of Horus so popular. The studio’s extensive background in game creation for similar genres undoubtedly helped. What we get is a time slot that will likely please die-hards but won’t do much to sway those on the fence.
When you visit the temple complex of Eye of Dead, you’ll feel like you’ve stepped back in time. The grid layout of the 10 paylines over the 5 reels and 3 rows is reminiscent of the early days of video slots. There is no music, hence there is no accompanying rhythm that evokes the Middle East. Instead, when you spin the reels the old-fashioned way, a loud noise is made. Similar to the tune played by Book of Ra, this adds another historical footnote to the game.
The betting options are where Eye of the Dead stands apart from similar games. Normal values range from 10% to £/€1. But after that, there are £/€10 per spin maximums on four Premium Play choices. Each one enhances the high-pay symbols, until only the two highest premiums show on the reels at the maximum level. It’s like getting access to the bonus game from Eye of the Dead while playing the main game, only you have to pay for it. Keeping with the numerical theme, Eye of the Dead has a Return to Player (RTP) of 96.3%, however it is unclear if this varies with greater stakes. High levels of volatility indicate that, like many of the other top-tier entries in the ‘Book of’ section, you should brace yourself for a dramatic swing in fortunes.
At least three identical symbols from the leftmost reel provide a winning combination. Some of the premiums resemble those from the Book of Dead, while the lower payouts are J-A royals in a curving Ra typeface. The amulet, Anubis, and Pharaoh are very identical to the ones Play’n GO utilized in their game, however the scarab and jar designs are more generic. The highest prize goes to a guy who appears like he needs a drink after a long day of archaeology and is dressed like Indiana Jones. Payouts range from 20x to 50x the initial wager when 5 premium symbols appear in a winning combination. The last icon is the wild, which may be used in place of any other icon excluding the book scatter. When a wild appears, it expands to fill the entire reel and triggers more free games.
Playing the Slot Game “Eye of the Dead”
Eye of Dead’s free spins and symbol upgrading method are identical to those of Eye of Horus; the only difference is the loincloth. When three or more book symbols appear on the reels, the free spins bonus game is activated. For 3, 4, or 5 scatters, players receive 12 free spins and 2, 20, or 50 times their wager, respectively.
The full reel wild has some extra skills while you’re playing for free. When 1, 2, or 3 of them appear at simultaneously, the number of free spins awarded is increased by 1, 3, or 5. A meter at the top of the screen indicates your level as you unlock Wilds and premium symbols. When a wild landing occurs, the lesser premiums are swapped for the next higher one on the paytable. By the game’s conclusion, the reels will only include high-premium and low-pay symbols, boosting your chances of forming winning combos.
Dead Reckoning in the Slot Machine
Eye of Dead isn’t likely to interest you if this type of gameplay doesn’t appeal to you. The betting possibilities are unique, but even if you aren’t, there isn’t much here that you won’t find in other slots. Unless you’ve always wanted to see the features from Eye of Horus combined with the images from Book of Ra, Eye of Dead may seem unnecessary. For those with deeper pockets, Eye of the Dead might be a blast, but for everyone else, it’s probably not worth buying unless the thought of trying out the Premium Play options appeals to you.
Although the help files state that it is possible to win up to 50,000 times your wager, this is highly unlikely to occur given that the maximum payout for a full screen is just 500 times your wager. The bonus mechanism used in Eye of the Dead is tried and true, and it can become rather thrilling as you go through the game’s pay structure. You can only do so much, though, without fully extending the special symbols already in use. The premium symbols’ poor value is another issue. Those who enjoy winning big will find that high powered Egyptian, where single spin winnings of up to 5,000x are possible, is preferable to Eye of the Dead.
If you’re looking for a throwback to a simpler time, Eye of the Dead might do the trick. However, the statistics here are more favorable than many older games, so you could just play an authentic vintage slot for a real dose of nostalgia. It may be worthwhile to try out a sample version of the new betting options to see whether they fit your preferences and budget before committing to them fully. You may expect the unexpected because, in essence, this is just Eye of Horus with a ‘Ra’ cosmetic change giving larger stakes.