| RTP | 96.58% - Compare RTPs |
|---|---|
| Volatility | High |
| Reels | 5 |
| Paylines | 10 |
| Bet Range | £0.01 - £100.00 |
| Hit Frequency | 25.30% |
| Max Win | 5,000x |
| Features | Wilds, Scatters, Bonus Rounds |
Legacy of Dead Slot Review
Legacy of Dead is a high-volatility Egyptian slot from Play'n GO, released in March 2020. It follows the same "Book" mechanic made famous by Rich Wilde and the Book of Dead, but strips away the Rich Wilde storyline entirely and leans hard into the pharaoh theme. The result is a slot that feels familiar if you know Book of Dead, yet stands on its own with some notable mechanical differences - particularly in how the free spins escalate when retriggers land.
| Provider | Play'n GO |
|---|---|
| RTP | 96.58% (standard) / 94.51% (some casinos) |
| Volatility | High |
| Reels / Rows | 5 x 3 |
| Paylines | 10 |
| Min / Max Bet | £0.10 - £100.00 |
| Max Win | 5,000x stake |
| Released | March 2020 |
Theme and Visual Style
The setting is a treasure-filled Egyptian tomb. Gold hieroglyphs, canopic jars, cobras, scarab beetles, and an imposing pharaoh fill the reels against a darkened stone backdrop. The look is polished rather than lavish - Play'n GO keeps the aesthetic clean and consistent, letting the gameplay do the heavy lifting rather than dressing it up with animated cutscenes or elaborate introductions. If you have spent time on Book of Dead, the visual language will feel recognisable immediately.
The Book Symbol: Scatter and Wild Combined
The gold burial chamber is the heart of the game. It acts as both scatter and wild simultaneously - a design choice that gives the game its characteristic tension. As a wild, it substitutes for any other symbol and doubles the payout of the line it completes. As a scatter, three or more appearing anywhere on the reels trigger the free spins bonus. Because the same symbol performs both functions, you will regularly see it land in spots where it provides multiple overlapping benefits at once.
Free Spins and the Expanding Symbol Mechanic
Landing three burial chambers anywhere on the reels awards 8 free spins. Before the round begins, the game randomly selects one symbol to act as the expanding symbol for that entire session. Whenever that symbol appears during free spins, it expands to fill the complete reel it lands on. Multiple reels can expand in a single spin if the chosen symbol appears on them, and because the paylines run left to right, a full-reel expansion across several reels can produce multiple simultaneous winning combinations.
Where Legacy of Dead distinguishes itself from Book of Dead is in what happens during retriggering. If three or more burial chambers land during the free spins round, you receive an additional 8 spins - and the game now assigns a second expanding symbol. That extra symbol stacks on top of the original. Subsequent retriggering continues to add symbols, meaning the expanding pool can grow considerably if luck holds. This is what pushes the maximum win potential towards 5,000x stake, and it is also what makes the game feel sharper and more top-heavy than its predecessor.
Gamble Feature
After any winning spin, a gamble option appears. You can attempt to double your win by guessing the colour of a face-down card, or quadruple it by calling the suit correctly. The gamble ladder can be climbed up to five times, or until you reach 2,500 coins. It is an optional side path that some players find useful for building a bonus from a modest base win - others prefer to bank and move on. Either approach is valid; the feature does not affect the base game or free spins.
How Does It Compare to Book of Dead?
Both games share the same 5x3 grid, 10 paylines, and Book mechanic. The core free spins loop is nearly identical. The meaningful differences are in degree rather than kind: Legacy of Dead is generally considered to have a sharper volatility profile, longer dry stretches in the base game, and higher peaks when the expanding symbols align during a long free spins run. The absence of the Rich Wilde character also means the symbol set skews more towards Egyptian imagery throughout, whereas Book of Dead mixes in the explorer protagonist. Players who enjoy one slot tend to enjoy the other - they scratch a similar itch but feel distinct enough to warrant playing both.
Base Game Play
Outside the bonus, the game plays straightforwardly across its 10 adjustable paylines. The five high-value symbols (pharaoh, mummy, canopic jar, cobra, scarab) pay on combinations of three or more from left to right. Card values A through 9 fill out the lower end of the paytable. Wins land with moderate frequency in the base game, though the high volatility means extended sessions without the free spins can feel lean. The RTP of 96.58% applies in standard configuration, though some operators configure the game at the lower 94.51% rate, so it is worth checking the game's information panel before playing.
Is Legacy of Dead Worth Playing?
Legacy of Dead does what it sets out to do well. The Book mechanic is a proven formula, and this version executes it cleanly. The retrigger-stacking system gives the free spins more potential ceiling than many comparable slots, and the 5,000x max win is achievable in a single well-timed bonus round rather than requiring astronomical luck on top of luck. If high volatility and the possibility of big but infrequent swings appeals to you, this is one of the better examples of that format from Play'n GO.
Players looking for something in the same family should also consider Rich Wilde and the Book of Dead and other titles from the Play'n GO catalogue.
Legacy of Dead FAQs
What is the RTP of Legacy of Dead?
The standard RTP of Legacy of Dead is 96.58%. Some casinos offer a lower-configured version at 94.51%, so it is worth checking the game information panel before you play.
How do free spins work in Legacy of Dead?
Landing three or more of the gold burial chamber symbols anywhere on the reels triggers 8 free spins. Before the round starts, one symbol is randomly selected to expand and fill entire reels whenever it appears. If three burial chambers land during the free spins, you receive an extra 8 spins and a second expanding symbol is added to the mix.
What does the Book symbol do?
The gold burial chamber acts as both scatter and wild at the same time. As a wild it substitutes for other symbols and doubles the win. As a scatter, three or more appearing anywhere on the reels trigger the free spins bonus.
How many paylines does Legacy of Dead have?
Legacy of Dead is played across 10 paylines on a 5x3 reel grid. The paylines run from left to right.
Is Legacy of Dead similar to Book of Dead?
Yes, both games use the same Book mechanic where a single symbol acts as scatter and wild, and the free spins round features an expanding symbol. Legacy of Dead is considered to have a sharper volatility profile and adds extra expanding symbols on free spins retriggering, which can push the potential ceiling higher than Book of Dead.
Where to Play Legacy Of Dead
We're currently updating our casino list for Legacy Of Dead. In the meantime, browse our full casino reviews or check out current free spins offers.
Legacy Of Dead RTP and Variance
Legacy Of Dead has an RTP of 96.58%, which is above average. See our highest RTP slots for the best returning games. High volatility means wins come less often but tend to be significantly larger. Explore our high volatility slots guide.
At the minimum bet of £0.01 per spin, a £10 deposit gives you 1,000 spins with a statistical expected return of £9.66. Read our slot betting strategy guide for tips on managing your bankroll.