Books of Tao: Overview

Dreamtech Gaming, working together with Relax Gaming, has launched an Asian-themed ‘Book of’ slot called Books of Tao. Dreamtech is clearly aiming high. After initially concentrating on Asian markets, they’ve started setting their sights on making a real mark in the European online gambling space.

With a sizeable catalogue already, it was only a matter of time before they produced a ‘Book of’ slot of their own. The good news is that rather than forcing the reels into a pyramid layout, the team kept things more traditional while leaning hard into the Asian setting. The main mechanics are still what you’d expect, so ‘Book of’ fans will be pleased to hear there’s plenty of expanding symbol action.

It’s not likely to win prizes for originality in terms of presentation. The familiar 5-reel, 10-payline setup sits on a misty mountainside inside a pagoda with a sloped tiled roof. Visually, it’s fine—competent without standing out.

The audio is fairly standard as well, and it probably deserves a small caution label. If you spin with headphones on, it’s worth turning the volume down a step or two—the loud buzzing win sound is grating. Land a bigger hit and the count-up tone can feel like a knitting needle to the ear. Other sounds are less intrusive, including a dramatic Chinese flute-and-drum style backing.

Book of Tao can be played from 20 p/c to $/€200 per spin, which is higher than you typically see—covering both low and high rollers. The RTP stacks up well against similar titles at 96.51%, and volatility is high. The bonus round, especially, can swing hard thanks to the extra expanding symbol potential described below.

There are 9 standard pay symbols available—5 low-value and 4 higher-paying icons. Instead of royal card ranks, you’ll find the 5 Tao elements: wood, earth, water, fire and metal. The premium symbols are a quill, some jade, a gourd, and a wise man figure—presumably Lao Tzu, the father of Taoism. Lao Tzu is unusual because only two on a line are needed for a payout, and he’s the top payer at 250x the stake for five of a kind.

Books of Tao: Features

Dreamtech describe Books of Tao as a ‘Book of’ style slot with a twist. That twist centres on the expanding symbols mechanic, which here can trigger in both the base game and the bonus round.

Positioned above the reels are three rotating Yin & Yang slots. At the beginning of any base game spin, they can show up to three different symbols, turning those into special expanding symbols. Expanding symbols spread to fill the entire reel when doing so creates a win, and they pay on every active win line. They don’t need to land next to each other to expand, either. Any payouts from expanding symbols are added on top of standard line wins.

The only additional symbol is the Yin & Yang, which acts as both scatter and wild. As a wild, it replaces any paying symbol to complete winning combinations. As a scatter, landing 3 or more awards 10 free spins. When free spins begin, up to three symbols are chosen as the special expanding symbols. As noted, these expand to full reels when a win is formed and pay anywhere. Free spins can be retriggered.

Books of Tao: Verdict

If Dreamtech were attending a wedding, they’d have the “something old, something new” requirement sorted. Books of Tao includes plenty you’ve seen before—sometimes dozens of times—while a few elements do try to change things up. In the crowded world of ‘Book of’ slots, you either need top-tier execution across the board or a genuinely fresh hook, otherwise it’s hard to justify the entry.

Books of Tao does bring a couple of points that set it apart. First, it’s based in China (obvious, but still a change of scenery), which may appeal to ‘Book’ fans wanting a different setting. Then there’s the possibility of landing special expanding symbols during the base game—not totally unheard of, but still less common. On top of that, being able to get up to 3 special symbols at once instead of the usual single one could be a meaningful advantage.

To what extent? Full-screen results are what ‘Book of’ slots are all about. The ideal outcome in Books of Tao is a full screen of Lao Tzus for a 2,500x payout. Thanks to the special expanding symbols, this is possible on any base spin as well as during free spins. That’s around half of what the biggest names in the genre can deliver, but it’s still stronger than some other ‘Book of’ options. High-stakes players should note, however, that the max win is capped at €250,000—so at max bet, the most you can realistically land is 1,250x the stake.

Overall, Books of Tao is a solid ‘Book of’ pick for fans of classic gameplay, even if it can feel a little unnecessary. It doesn’t hit with the same bold impact as something like Book of Dead, but there are certainly worse choices out there.