Dead or Alive 2 (NetEnt): Review

Editor’s note: see our Dead or Alive 2 Feature buy article for more information about the bonus buy version of the game.

The original Dead or Alive barely needs presenting. Launched in May 2009, it has reached near-legendary status and remains one of the most played slots available even today. Having once seen a top-performing slots list for a specific casino, we noticed Dead or Alive sitting at number 11. That’s a strong showing for a title that’s close to 10 years old!

When the Flash era drew to a close, Dead or Alive was later rebuilt in HTML5. The debate that followed—where many players claimed NetEnt had “nerfed” the game, something we discussed in one of our most-read articles—doesn’t seem to have dented its standing or popularity. NetEnt have repeatedly stated they made no mathematical adjustments, and that’s the official line.

While it’s a different game in its own right, the sequel clearly carries over plenty of familiar DNA from the original. The industry-standard RTP of 96.8% remains unchanged, as does the 5-reel, 9-payline format. The overall look and feel is also recognisable, so long-time fans should feel instantly comfortable. In the base game, you’re back on the main street of an old western town, with the last rays of sunset glowing in the background. The big showdown, however, plays out across multiple locations—although the old saloon is still welcoming patrons. Feature-wise, the standout change versus the original is the free spins round, where you get to pick between 3 different games.

The original’s retro visuals are still charming and far from a drawback, with a certain nostalgia attached to them, but Dead or Alive 2’s crisp HD graphics and cinematic cutscenes are undeniably impressive. The reel symbols are a clear nod to the first game, just refreshed with modern artwork. You’ll find A to 10 royals alongside higher-paying whiskey bottles, boots, cowboy hats, revolvers and sheriff badges—the top symbol, awarding 100 times your stake for 5 across a full payline. The wild is represented by each of the 5 outlaws and substitutes for all symbols except the scatter. As before, Dead or Alive 2 also features a Scatter win jackpot—hit 5 scatters in the base game and you’ll collect 2500 times your stake.

Dead or Alive 2 (NetEnt): Features

Players can either use the feature buy option to bypass the base game and jump straight into the Free Spins feature, or attempt to trigger it by landing 3 or more scatter symbols at the same time anywhere on the reels. Once activated, you’re offered a choice between 3 different games with different volatility levels: Old Saloon, High Noon Saloon and Train Heist.

• Train Heist: features a rising multiplier. Each time a wild lands, the multiplier increases by 1 and you also gain 1 additional spin. If the multiplier gauge reaches 16x, you’re awarded 5 extra free spins.
• Old Saloon: essentially a return to classic Dead or Alive. All wins are multiplied by 2, and any wild that lands will lock in place for the rest of the bonus. Landing all 5 outlaws awards 5 extra spins.
• High Noon: easily the most volatile of the three, High Noon free spins use NetEnt’s “MAX” concept and deliver a jaw-dropping, record-setting max win of over 100,000 times your stake, which at the time of writing tops any other non-jackpot slot on the market. Buckle up—it’s basically the original Dead or Alive turned up to eleven. The same mechanics as Old Saloon apply, but if more than one wild lands on a reel, they multiply: 2 wilds create a 2x multiplier, 3 wilds create a 3x multiplier, and so on.

In late 2020, NetEnt also introduced a bonus buy version of Dead or Alive 2. Where permitted in your jurisdiction, punters can buy the bonus for roughly 66 times the stake—this guarantees 3 scatters on reels 1, 2, and 3, with a chance to land all 5.

Dead or Alive 2 (NetEnt): Verdict

NetEnt has effectively packaged the classic experience and the newer approach together here, which is a smart move in our view. It means you don’t truly have to pick one over the other—although with 3 different free spins modes available, it will naturally influence how the RTP is distributed, so you likely won’t be playing the exact same version as old DoA.

It’s difficult to imagine a more fitting way to mark the 10th anniversary of Dead or Alive, and NetEnt have unquestionably delivered a sequel that not only protects the brand’s reputation but also builds on it. The MAX concept is put to excellent use here too, and Dead or Alive 2 is actually among the few titles where it has been shown to be possible to reach the maximum potential.

We started this review convinced the original couldn’t be topped, and worried NetEnt might damage its legacy. We finished it feeling converted, refreshed, and ready to ride again. Apache, Billy, Belle, Della and Jesse—we’re coming for you.