Scales of Dead: Slot Overview

In a somewhat appropriate twist, Scales of Dead—an online slot from developer Play’n GO—was reviewed amid a scorching 2023 heat wave sweeping parts of Southern Europe. And it may not have been the year’s only blast of extreme weather, with the World Meteorological Organization confirming El Niño’s return. The previous major El Niño peaked in 2016, the hottest year on record, and forecasts for this cycle point to—high temperatures.

One place well acquainted with intense heat is Egypt. That’s exactly where Scales of Dead takes players. As the title plainly suggests, Scales of Dead continues Play’n GO’s ‘Book of’ range and sits within a broader legacy that began long ago—think the Twelfth Dynasty era—when Book of Ra set the template. True to the formula, Scales of Dead leans on familiar genre visuals like ankhs, pyramids, and sweeping dunes. It looks fine, though it doesn’t feel especially striking by Play’n GO standards.

Dig a little deeper—like an overcaffeinated tomb raider—and you’ll find Scales of Dead’s highly volatile math model, which the provider rates at 9 out of 10. It’s worth checking the RTP before you dive in, since it comes in multiple configurations, with a default of 96.21%. Scales of Dead runs on a 5-reel, 3-row setup with 10 fixed paylines, and stakes range from 10 p/c to $/€100.

The reels contain nine standard pay symbols plus a combined wild/scatter. The 5 low pays are 10 to A card royals, paying 8 to 15 times the bet for a 5 OAK win, while the premium set appears as a jackal, a bird, an ankh, and a hooded cobra. Hitting 5 of a high symbol returns 75 to 500 times the bet.

Scales of Dead: Slot Features

As noted, Scales of Dead includes a symbol that functions as both wild and scatter: it replaces any regular non-expanded pay symbol and is also required to activate free spins. This is the golden Tomb scatter, which can appear on all reels. Landing 3 or more Tomb scatters grants 8 free spins.

Free Spins

Once free spins begin, one regular pay symbol is randomly chosen to act as the special Expanding symbol. When enough Expanding Symbols land, they expand to cover all positions on their reels. Expanding symbols pay all lines from any position on the grid, meaning they don’t need to land adjacent to each other or in any particular formation.

Sandstorm Free Spins

While in free spins, if 2 or more Tomb Scatters land, 3 Sandstorm Free Spins are triggered. Multiple Sandstorm Free Spins can be activated during the free spins round. The same Expanding symbol carries over into Sandstrom Free Spins. The difference is that an x2, x3, or x4 multiplier is applied to each special Expanding symbol. The multiplier is randomly picked each time a new Sandstrom Free Spins is triggered. In addition, during Sandstorm Free Spins, landing 2 or more Tomb scatters awards +2 additional Sandstorm Free Spins, up to a maximum of 30 for each Sandstorm Free Spins trigger.

Gamble Feature

In the base game, the Gamble feature lets players try to multiply the total prize. Guessing the colour of a face-down card correctly doubles the win, while correctly calling the suit quadruples it. The gamble round can be used up to 5 times consecutively.

Scales of Dead: Slot Verdict

If any slot style has truly captured both player interest and developer attention, it’s the ‘Book of’ format. Like grains of sand in the Sahara, there are countless titles of this type available—for better or worse. Heading into yet another ‘Book of’ review can bring mixed emotions. On the plus side, these slots have delivered entertainment for years, with studios tweaking the core rules to create experiences that still feel reasonably fresh. Examples include Book of Shadows and Book of Power. Not every release hits, but enough do to keep the formula rolling. On the downside, there are simply so many that it’s hard not to think “here we go again” when another one arrives.

Scales of Dead also didn’t make the strongest first impression, mainly because its presentation felt a little understated. Sure, it has the polished finish you’d expect from a capable studio like Play’n GO, but the desert scene with pyramids on the horizon comes across as somewhat plain. Oddly, it’s also more realistic than the highly stylised Ancient Egypt often seen in online slots. After that, the focus shifts to gameplay, where Scales of Dead does bring the expected twist. A special free spins layer nested inside standard free spins isn’t exactly a brand-new idea.

Play’n GO has used a similar approach before, such as in Cat Wilde and the Lost Chapter. In Scales of Dead, the Sandstorm Free Spins stand out because they introduce the possibility of an x2 to x4 multiplier. Notably, Play’n GO hasn’t reduced symbol values to balance the added multiplier, so a full, non-modified screen of the top premium still pays 5,000x the bet. If that outcome can be paired with an x4 multiplier, it could become very interesting, pushing potential returns up to 10,000x.

Scales of Dead may not be the most visually thrilling ‘Book of’ slot the studio has produced, but from a technical standpoint it includes the key ingredients needed to potentially excite players who enjoy this style of gameplay.