Valley of the Dead: Slot Overview

One of Yggdrasil Gaming’s earlier successes was the Ancient Egyptian-themed Valley of the Gods, a slot built around chaining winning respins with an expanding grid, extra lives, and a multiplier that could be increased. A few years on, Yggdrasil returned with Valley of the Gods 2, which reshuffled the reel setup while keeping the addictive respin mechanic intact. Then it seemed to fade into the background as time passed. Until now, because the studio has gone back to the original Valley of the Gods concept, dressed it in a new look, added fresh betting options, and reintroduced it under the suitably chilling title Valley of the Dead.

While Valley of the Gods leaned into a bright, upbeat Egyptian vibe, Valley of the Dead heads in a far darker, more ominous direction—fitting, given the name. The atmosphere feels closer to something Hacksaw Gaming might deliver at its bleakest, like Hand of Anubis. Set in an eerily lit space packed with skull imagery, the game features skulls on symbols, on meters, and as glowing objects darting around the screen. The overall effect is a slot steeped in death, spirits, and menace.

At the beginning of every spin, a diamond-shaped set of active symbols drops onto the grid’s 5 reels. This 1-3-5-3-1 formation delivers 243 ways to win, though removing BoltLock symbols (the greyed-out skull symbols) pushes the count higher, up to a maximum of 3,125. With the industry having moved on since the original release, Valley of the Dead reduces the top RTP from Valley of the Gods‘ 96.2% to 94%, while volatility remains in the same medium-high range. Stakes run from 25 c to $/€100, and players can also choose OnlyWins and Multi OnlyWins for a fixed cost.

Six coin symbols replace the low-value icons, paying 1 to 1.6 times the bet for a 5 OAK win. Above them are 4 character high-pay symbols, which return 10-20 times the bet for landing 5 matching symbols. Wild symbols never appear in Valley of the Dead.

Valley of the Dead: Slot Features

Every winning combination in Valley of the Dead sets off a respin. Before the respin triggers, each winning symbol releases a Skull that removes a BoltLock symbol from the grid, opening up more ways to win. Respins keep repeating as long as fresh winning combinations continue to hit. Once the spin sequence ends, all BoltLock symbols reset and return for the next round.

Multipliers and Extra Lives

When full ways to win have been unlocked by clearing every BoltLock symbol, an x2 upgradable multiplier and Extra Lives are introduced. After all ways are unlocked, cold coloured winning symbols release Blue Skulls. Gathering 5 Blue Skulls upgrades the multiplier by +1 for subsequent respins.

When all ways are unlocked, players receive +1 extra life. From that point, warm-coloured symbols release Red Skulls whenever they form part of a win. Collecting 5 Red Skulls grants +1 extra life. Each Extra life activates a respin after a losing respin to keep the sequence going. Extra lives are spent when used this way. Respins stop when no winning combinations appear and no lives remain.

OnlyWins Mode

Enabling the OnlyWins Mode costs 4.4x the bet per spin. With it switched on, every spin becomes a winning spin. Players can also purchase a bundle of Multi OnlyWins spins for 44x for 10.

Valley of the Dead: Slot Verdict

If you’re not part of a studio’s inner circle, figuring out why certain slots get made can be as tricky as deciding how much the anthropic principle matters in cosmology. So, rather than speculate on the reasons behind Valley of the Dead’s existence, it’s better to focus on what it delivers. The most immediate takeaway is that the game carries a much heavier atmosphere than its predecessor, which at least helps it step out from the shadow of the past. The added betting options also contribute to that sense of separation.

For clarity, there’s no indication that OnlyWins or Multi OnlyWins use a different RTP. That means players aren’t punished or rewarded for switching either one on—or leaving them both off. In practice, OnlyWins is mainly about potentially chewing through your bankroll faster to guarantee that every spin produces a win. Then again, since any winning combination triggers the respins mechanic, a single spin can escalate into a long chain involving BoltLock removal, increased ways, extra lives, and multiplier growth. The top win remains in line with Valley of the Gods at 5,800 times the stake.

Much of what made the original work is still here, aside from the lower RTP and the darker audiovisual tone. If that appeals to you—or you’re tempted by the new betting options—then Valley of the Dead can feel like a welcome throwback. If not, many players may be just as happy sticking with the original.