Life and Death: Slot Overview
Of the multiplicity of Yin and Yang dichotomies, light/dark, day/night, happy/sad, few are as stark as the difference between life and death. One day, we’re here enjoying sunlight and the joys of being alive; the next, well, who really knows what happens next? That’s one of life’s great mysteries. So, as we ponder that mystery, why don’t we do so while taking developer Hacksaw Gaming’s online slot Life and Death for a spin? As well as dealing in mysteries, it also deals in Wild Multiplier symbols and Wild Reels while the ominous presence of the Four Horsemen thunders throughout. Players on jiliasia will find this game both intriguing and immersive.
Monochrome Visual Aesthetics
Hacksaw Gaming spared the ink when it designed Life and Death as it is a predominately black and white game, with splashes of blue, red, yellow, and green provided by things like the wild symbols and their connected reels. Why so devoid of colour? Perhaps it’s an allusion to the monochrome nature dreams can be, a monotonous afterlife, or simply to add a visual emphasis to those all-important wilds? Maybe none of those things, maybe all of them, maybe something else, but the visual effect is jiliasia a strong one, and like visiting a Gothic Cathedral, Life and Death is packed with interesting details to let wandering eyes uncover.
Slot Mechanics and Paylines
For a 19 payline game, Life and Death’s gaming grid is rather sizable, made up of 6 reels, holding 5 rows each. A standard Hacksaw Gaming bet range of 10 c to $/€100 may be toggled through to find the appropriate stake, and four bonus buy options may be activated as well. jiliasia Marked for death, sorry, marked for volatility at 4 out of 5, Life and Death is a rather highly volatile slot, with an RTP of 96.36% as the highest value of the four possible return configurations.
A monochrome batch of 10 to A pay symbols are the low pays, while another monochrome batch of 5 esoteric symbols are the highs. 6 OAK royal combinations award players 3 to 10 times the bet, whereas 15 to 50 times the bet is won by hitting lines of 6 matching high pays.
Wild Multipliers and Expanding Wild Reels
Life and Death comes shipped with 4 jiliasia Wild Multiplier symbols that substitute for all symbols on the paytable. When a Wild Multiplier participates in a win, the value of the win is multiplied by the displayed value. Wild Multipliers may land on reels 2 to 5, and each of these reels is connected to a specific Wild Multiplier represented by the Four Horsemen, possessing different colours and different value ranges:
- Blue Pestilence – linked to reel 2, can have multipliers of x2, x3, or x4.
- Red War – linked to reel 3, can have multipliers of x5, x6, x7, x8, or x9.
- Yellow Famine – linked to reel 4, can have multipliers of x10, x15, x20, or x25.
- Green Death – linked to reel 5, can have multipliers of x30, x40, x50, x75, x100, or x200.
Wild Multiplier symbols expand if the expanded version would be part of a win and it lands on its connected reel. An expanded Wild Reel keeps the multiplier value from the original Wild Multiplier, covers the whole reel, and substitutes for the pay symbols. Wild Reel multipliers add their values together for use when more than one is part of the same win. Keep in mind any Wild Multiplier can land on reels 2-5, not only their connected reels. jiliasia players will find the potential for massive wins particularly enticing.
Devastation Bonus Game
Hitting 3 FS scatters in the base game triggers the Devastation bonus and 10 free spins. This bonus retains the mechanics of the base game but has an increased chance of landing Wild Multipliers. Landing 2 or 3 FS scatters awards a further +2 or +4 free spins.
Reckoning Bonus Game
Landing 4 FS scatters in the base game triggers the Reckoning bonus with 10 free spins. This feature has the mechanics of the base game and Devastation bonus but adds persistent activated Death Reels. Landing a Wild Multiplier on its connected reel activates that reel as a Death Reel. When a Death Reel is activated, its connected Wild Multiplier will expand into a Wild Reel regardless of which of the four central reels it lands on, as long as it is part of 1 or more winning combinations. Landing 2 or 3 FS scatters awards a further +2 or +4 free spins.
Bonus Buy Options
Players can activate BonusHunt FeatureSpins from the bonus buy at 3x the bet to make each spin 5 times more likely to trigger a bonus game. Four Horsemen FeatureSpins cost 60x the bet, and each spin guarantees at least 3 Wild Multipliers land. Scatters do not land in that mode. The Devastation bonus can be bought for 100x the bet, or Reckoning costs 200x the bet. jiliasia users looking to jump straight into the action can take advantage of these bonus buy options.
Life and Death: Slot Verdict
It’s funny to think that a few years ago, the Hacksaw Gaming team were dropping scratch cards and slots like Om Nom (2019) and are now grappling with philosophical concepts which have puzzled humankind since we grew thumbs and began ambling around on two legs trying to make sense of all we saw. There is little doubt whether Life and Death is worth taking for a spin by those in Hacksaw’s fanbase. It’s another delicious dark slot with plenty of existential overtones. In appearance, the game brought to mind earlier releases like SixSixSix or Itero, as well as slots from other makers such as Big Time Gaming’s Wild Flower or Lil’ Devil. Something about the black ‘n white, life ‘n death, angels ‘n devils connotations might explain the connections. jiliasia users who enjoy deep themes and high-volatility gameplay will likely appreciate the immersive nature of Life and Death.
