Book of Time

Book of Time Slot Review

Slot Provider: Hacksaw Gaming

RTP: % | Variance: High | Maximum Win: 10,000x

Our Score: 7.6

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About Book of Time

Reviewed by:

Published Date: 21st January 2023

How We Review Slot Games

We test and rate all slot games across 5 criteria, assigning a score out of 10 for each and an overall score that is an average of the 5. To build an accurate assessment of each game we gather information from the supplier and play in real play or demo mode. Find out more.

Hacksaw Gaming’s oddball mascot, Canny The Can, is back in their interpretation of the ‘Book of …’ game format. This slot was released in November 2022 and in typical Hacksaw and ‘Book of’ style operates at a high volatility. This was the second time-themed slot released by the studio in 2022, following their eerie Time Spinners game from the summer. But where that game had a dark and ghoulish side, Book of Time is an eccentric mix of styles and gameplay with the volatility dialled up to the max, of course.

Book of Time Game Information

  • RTP: %
  • Variance: High
  • Maximum Win: 10,000x
  • Progressive Jackpot: No
  • Reels: 5
  • Rows: 4
  • Paylines: 20
  • Minimum Stake: £0.10
  • Theme: Cartoon
  • Features: Free Spins, Expanding Wilds, Expanding Symbols, Multiplier Wilds

What We Liked

  • Unique What Time Is It? bonus round
  • Will appeal to high variance fans
  • Has potential for big wins

What We Didn't like

  • Canny the Can .. say no. more!
  • Jarring graphics and soundtrack
  • Proved very tough to unlock

Book of Time Review Scores

  • Theme and Design 7
  • RTP and Variance 7
  • Maximum Win 8
  • Symbols and Paytable 9
  • Features and Gameplay 8

What Our Reviewer Says ...

"One of the weirdest takes on the Book of ... series of slots that is hard to love but does offer a unique free spins round format that has big potential."

Overall Score: 7.6

Theme & Design

Our Score 7

Games featuring ‘Canny the Can’ are something of an acquired taste. The style is like a Disney cartoon from the 70s, though quite why it features a can, who knows?! In this case the setting is a countryside scene though the symbols and free spins round suggest a witchcraft element with witches hats, snakes heads and wands. All the while … a relentlessly plinky-plonk piano loop soundtracks your play.

It’s quite a jarring collection of ideas and certainly nothing like the classic Ancient Egyptian iconography of the Book of Dead or the horror fest that is Nolimit City’s Book of Shadows. But then, this is Hacksaw and they like to do things differently.

You will either love it or hate it!

RTP and Variance

Our Score 7

What is RTP?

RTP (Return to Player) refers to the amount a game will pay out in cash prizes expressed as a percentage of all the money wagered on that game. For example, a 96% RTP means a game will pay out £96 for every £100 wagered. This is an average number and will vary from one session to the next.  Read more here.

What is Variance?

Variance refers to how far a game will deviate from its RTP over time. High variance games deviate a lot and produce uneven win distributions and unexpected windfalls. Low variance games provide a more stable and even distribution of wins. Read more here.

There are four variable RTP settings for Book of Time: 96.13%, 94.34%, 92.33% or 88.25%. Which you play at is at the discretion of your casino operator. We checked the RTP at four UK slot sites. This is what we found:

  • Dream Vegas (White Hat Gaming): 94.34%
  • MrPlay (Aspire Global): 92.33%
  • MrQ (independent): 96.13%
  • Casumo (independent): 94.34%
  • BacanaPlay (Skill on Net): 92.33%

The best value gameplay you can get from those is MrQ who are running Book of Time at its optimum RTP level.

Book of Time is a high variance slot so it will be a tough play with some frustrating sessions. That puts it in the same category as slots like Time Spinners and Hand of Anubis.

Maximum Win

Our Score 8

What Is Maximum Win?

Maximum win refers to the maximum amount a player can win from one spin. It is expressed as a multiple of the stake. For example, where the maximum win is 100,000x, from a £1 stake, the maximum win would be £100,000.  

Book of Time has a maximum win of 10,000x. That is average for high risk Hacksaw Gaming slots. They rarely exceed this threshold. If you want bigger max wins you should look at games from suppliers like Big Time Gaming and Nolimit City.

Symbols and Paytable

Our Score 9

Book of Time plays out on a 5×4 reel set with 20 fixed paylines active at all times. Wins are tiggered by landing three or more identical symbols on the reels from left to right along a payline starting with the left most reel.

This game is notable for high symbol values.

Low payers are the cards 10 through to Ace. They are valued at between 5x and 15x for five on a payline. The high value symbols are the wand, the hat, the knife, the snake and the mouse. These are valued at between 50x and 250x for five on a payline.

In keeping with the traditions of Book of slots, the Book symbols is both scatter and wild. It subs in for all other symbols to complete win lines AND triggers the bonus round. However, importantly it does NOT act as a wild during those bonus rounds.

There is also a Clock Man scatter which can trigger the What Time Is It? Bonus round where the game diverges from tradition in all kinds of fun ways. More on that in a moment.

Features and Gameplay

Our Score 8

It’s a Classic – The ‘Classic’ Book of Bonus Round 

Hacksaw bow to convention with the first bonus round in Book of Time. Land 3 or more Book scatters and you’ll earn yourself 10, 15 or 20 free spins as follows:

  • 3 Book Scatters: 10 free spins and ONE special symbol
  • 4 Book Scatters: 15 free spins and TWO special symbols
  • 5 Book Scatters: 20 free spins and THREE special symbols

The special symbol is chosen at random and may be any of the standard symbols but not the Book itself. To activate special symbols, which now appear with a frame around them, you will need to land one on each of at least THREE reels.

When activated, after payouts are completed for a spin, the special symbols expand to full reel height, and trigger more pays if they complete win lines. They can also connect to create wins even when other symbols fall between them.

What Time Is It? – Crazy Alternative Bonus Round

Ok, so this is Hacksaw and it was never going to be straight forward! Landing 3 Clock Man scatters triggers another bonus round called What Time Is It?

Now you get 10 free spins with clocks appearing above reels 2, 3 and 4, indicating a different time on every spin. You are now looking for Clock Activator symbols to land anywhere on reels 2, 3 or 4. When they do, Multiplier Clock Wilds expand downwards from the top positions until they reach the row with the Activator on. The value of the multiplier is the same as the time on the clock … from 2x right up to 12x! Of course!

Finally, Multiplier Wilds are added together then more than one forms part of a winline.

More Games Like Book of Time Slot

Book of Shadows by Nolimit City – By far our favourite Book of game and one that in my opinion outclasses Book of Time is Book of Shadows. NLC have given the series a ghoulish twist with this version that has elements of The Ring or Blair Witch about it as it features an undead girl. It has a higher variance and a bigger top win of 30,388x.

Time Spinners by Hacksaw Gaming – Before Book of Time, Hacksaw were confounding us with Time Spinners, an equally volatile beast and one with an eerie dungeon setting. The name of the game is landing multipliers and the Dusk til Dawn Bonus round gives you the chance to land sticky multipliers of up to 12x that can push payouts as high as 10,000x.

 

Where to Book of Time Slot – Further Recommendations

Play OJO – I always recommend OJO to readers because it scores highly in every area. Just deposit £10 here and you’ll get 50 wager free spins on the original and best Book of game, Book of Dead. There are over 2,500 slots available here from all the big names, and if you are a Paypal players you can deposit with your favourite eWallet too.

Dream Vegas – I tested the game on Dream Vegas because it is one of my favourite White Hat Gaming sites. They have a classys, Vegas-themed site and a huge game catalogue. You can easily search for your favourites using the game provider filter or by game name. Dream Vegas currently offer a 100% match up to £300 and 150 spins on Aloha! Cluster Pays to those depositing £200 or more. So if you are a big depositor, this is a good slot site for you.

The Final Verdict

Book of Time is an eccentric slot that will split opinion like marmite. For me, the odd mix of styles and gameplay and the oddity that is Canny the Can just jarred with my expectations of what a Book of slot might be. I’m all for experimentation, but in this case, it hasn’t worked. But it’s for you to decided, and die hard Hacksaw fans, and those with peculiar tastes, might just find Book of Time to be worth a spin.

Who Made Book of Time?

  • Name: Hacksaw Gaming
  • Established: 2018
  • UK License: 54059
  • Total Games: 50 +
  • Known For: Dark, high variance output and bonus rounds driven by combining multipliers
  • Popular Slots: Hand of Anubis, Itero, Gladiator Legends, Break Bones
Find More Hacksaw Gaming slots

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