Ghost of Dead

Ghost of Dead Slot Review

Slot Provider: Play n Go

RTP: 96.21% | Variance: High | Maximum Win: 10,000x

Our Score: 8.2

Play at Barz Casino
QUICK LINKS: Game Information | Where To Play | Full Review | Testing Notes | Tips For Players | About The Developer

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About Ghost of Dead

Reviewed by:

Published Date: 14th October 2021

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.

Ghost of Dead is a 5-reel Ancient Egyptian slot from Play n Go with 10 paylines. It is part of the Book of … series from this developer. It has two extras that set it up apart from the original Book of Dead. The Ghost Spins feature in the base game gives a free spin with a special symbol that expands to complete paylines. And there are TWO free spins rounds, a standard round with one expander and an Awakened Free Spins with two expanders. Both free spins rounds can re-trigger unlimited times.

This game has a maximum payout of 10,000x and spins start from 1p.

Ghost of Dead Game Information

  • Release Date: September 2021
  • RTP: 96.21% | 94.21% | 91.21% | 87.22% | 84.22%
  • Variance: High
  • Maximum Win: 10,000x
  • Progressive Jackpot: No
  • Reels: 5
  • Rows: 3
  • Paylines: 10
  • Minimum Stake: £0.01
  • Theme: Egypt
  • Features: Expanding Symbols, Wilds, Free Spins
  • Format: 5-Reel

Testing Notes: Here’s What Happened When We Played Ghost of Dead

IMPORTANT: To give you an accurate assessment of the games we review our writers play 200 spins. Whilst this is a useful tool to help us review games and to give an example of what might happen when you play, keep in mind that 200 spins is only a very small sample and cannot be used to accurately predict what might happen over another 200 spins. The outcome of all slots play is always random.

Boom Or Bust? Our Session By The Numbers

I played 200 spins on Ghost of Dead for real money at Casumo Casino to test the game and this is what happened.

  • Stake Size: £0.1
  • Start balance: £29.88
  • End balance: £34.5
  • Biggest Win: 14.4x
  • Free Spins: 1
  • Session Time: 17 minutes and 10 seconds

It was difficult to stick with Ghost of Dead for 200 spins this time around as it seemed unwilling to give away too much of itself. The Ghost Spins triggered just twice which was very underwhelming for a base game feature, producing at best a 3.2x win. There were plenty of close calls with the Free Spins and Awakened Free Spins rounds, before eventually the former did trigger and deliver a 14.4x win which you can see in the screenshot. For the record I went with the top paying Pharoah as the expander, hoping for glory. No such luck!

A 14.42x win in Ghost of Dead
The free spins round produced a 14.4x win

Overall, Ghost of Dead behaved like the volatile game we know it to be so it’s no surprise that my 200 spins were a big lacklustre. It can be a game that teases a lot without delivering, so be warned.

What We Liked

  • Superb artwork and spectral atmosphere
  • Ghost Spins with expander in base game
  • TWO Expanders in Awakened Free Spins
  • 10,000x maximum win
  • Chance to bet at just 1p per spin

What We Didn't like

  • Very few features triggered in test

Ghost of Dead Review Scores

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

What Our Reviewer Says ...

"This spectral addition to the much-loved Book of series of games packs a punch with a better max win and extra base game feature and free spins round"

Overall Score: 8.2

Theme & Design

Our Score 9

Top Production With a Spooky Subterranean Tomb Vibe

Ghost of Dead adds a spectral twist to the classic Ancient Egyptian explorer narrative so keenly mined by Play n Go in the Rich Wilde series. It seems like a very natural progression.

Ghost of Dead by Play n Go
Ghost of Dead – deep in an underground tomb bathed in green spectral light

We are taken deep into the cool of a shadowy tomb with a green spectral light shining out from behind the reel set, lighting up ornate stone pillars covered in cobwebs. It’s a well produced game with slick graphics and sharp symbols on the reels. The Anubis pot Scatters look particularly eerie, especially when they transform into Spectral Scatters to trigger the extra bonus round. There’s a kind of minimal soundtrack too with ghostly whispers to complete the haunted atmosphere.

RTP and Variance

Our Score 8

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.

Play n Go have provided 5 RTP settings with Ghost of Dead, a common feature of their games. It will be down to your casino operator to decide with level to run the game at.  The settings are 96.21%, 94.21%, 91.21%, 87.22% and 84.22%. If you play at 96.21% that is a good RTP, around average for an online slot. Any less is not so good. I verified the RTP at 5 UK slot sites I regularly use. This is what I found.

For Ghost of Dead, only MrQ is running the game at the optimum RTP level and I would recommend playing here if RTP is important for you.

Like most ‘Book of …’ slots this is a highly volatile game with so it will be unpredictable and I suspect much of the best wins will be saved back for the free spins round with expanders and re-triggers.

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.  

The maximum payout on Ghost of Dead is 10,000x which is good for a game of its type – Book of Dead comes in at 5,000x for example – but not as high as the best potential Play n Go games like Kiss Reels of Rock (50,000x) or Clash of Camelot (35,000x).

Symbols and Paytable

Our Score 8

Ghost of Dead runs on a standard 5 reel and 3 row reel set with 10 paylines, though due to the configuration of the game, you can actually reduce the number of paylines down to just 1 if you choose. In fact, using this system you can actually diminish the stake per spin to just 1p. Your choice!

Ghost of Dead Paytable
Paytable with 1,000x wins for 5 top paying Pharaohs

The paytable itself is impressive with good value at the top end. The style of symbols will be familiar to anyone who enjoys these Egyptian slots. The low payers are the cards, 10 through to Ace. These are valued at from 0.4x for 3 10s up to 12x for 5 Aces. Premiums are the amulet, the cobra, the scarab and the Pharaoh. These are valued at from 0.4x for 3 amulets up to 1,000x for 5 Pharahos.

There is one other symbol to look out for – the Anubis pot which is the scatter and the wild. As a wild it will substitute for any other symbols to complete wins. As a scatter, it will trigger the free spins round, more on which in the next part. What I like most is that this special symbol also has its own value of 2x for 3 on a line, 4x for 20 on a line and 200x for 5 on a line.

Features and Gameplay

Our Score 8

Ghost Spins and Awakened Free Spins Are Welcome Additions To The Book Of Format

Play n Go present a standard Book of format augmented by a couple of extras. It works well enough and there is enough differentiation from the original to make the game worth playing.

Ghost Spins In Base Game

The base game extra is called Ghost Spins and it’s like a one-spin version of the ‘Book of …‘ bonus. You’ll see a spectral green shape pass over the reels first, then one symbol will be chosen as an expander. A free spin ensues and IF the chosen symbol lands and by expanding can complete a winning payline then it does so.

Ghost Spins in Ghost of Dead
Ghost Spins incoming …

3 Scatters Gets 10 Free Spins With Expanders

The main event, as always, is the Free Spins round. This is triggered by landing 3 or more Anubis pots on one spin. You pick 1 symbol to be the expander from a random selection of 3. Then, when it lands if it can expand to complete a payline, then it will.

Ghost of Dead Free Spins Round
Choosing an expander in Free Spins

And finally, landing 3 or more scatters again will re-trigger the round with 10 more spins. There is no limit to how many times this can happen.   

Two Expanding Symbols in Free Spins
Two expanders on reels 3 and 4 in the free spins round

Spectral Scatters Trigger Awakened Free Spins With Extra Expander

We finish with this extra feature that elevates Ghost of Dead above the original game. If 3 Scatters land and transform into green Spectral Scatters then you are into the Awakened Free Spins round.

Here, as before, you pick 1 from 3 symbols to become the Expanding one. But now in addition, the game choose an extra random symbol to be another Expander to increase your chances of triggering wins.

This round can also be re-retriggered indefinitely by landing 3 more Spectral Scatters on one spin.

The Final Verdict

Ghost of Dead is another in the long line of ancient Egyptian themed slots. Although this theme has been covered excessively in the online slots world, it still attracts players in droves due to its mysterious atmosphere, interesting imagery and often high risk gameplay.

For those who want an alternative to the old classics, this one has several advantages. Firstly, there is the extra Ghost Spins feature in the base game which throws up some extra wins where previously there weren’t any. Then, there is The Awakened Free Spins add-on. This is the best feature in Ghost of Dead with 2 Expanding Symbols in play to offer lots of extra ways to win – this is your best chance of hitting the 10,000x stake top payout.

In conclusion, if you love the Book of Dead, Book of Ra and other Book Of slots, you are sure to enjoy spinning the reels on Ghost of Dead. It has a familiar feel with a side order of innovation, as well as spooky production to add chills, and overall it is a decent adventure in the Egyptian tombs.

Useful Tips When Playing Ghost of Dead

Remember, online slots are games of chance, there is NO strategy that can improve your odds of winning. However, reading our review and following these tips will help you get the most out of your time playing this slot game.

1. Set Your Own Paylines 

It is possible to play with any number of paylines from 1 to 10 in this game which is quite unusual. So, if you want to play at a low stake you can just go for 1 payline at 1p per spin!

 

2. Look For Spectral Scatters

The variance of the game suggests that the RTP is heavily weighted into the 2 free spins rounds. And with 2 expanders the Awakened Free Spins has by far the best opportunity of getting close to 10,000x.

3. Find A Good Slots Bonus To Play With

Use our site to find yourself a good match bonus to play the game with. You can get up to £300 at Barz Casino for example when you deposit £20 or more.

4. Play At Licensed Slot Sites ONLY

All the sites on this page are licensed by the UK Gambling Commission which means that they are safe, fair and secure. I recommend that you only play at sites like these.

Who Made Ghost of Dead?

  • Name: Play n Go
  • Established: 1997
  • UK License: Remote 021725-R-304911-020
  • Total Games: 200 +
  • Known For: Grid slots, high variance slots, huge range of themes, styles and maths models
  • Popular Slots: Book of Dead, Reactoonz 1 and 2, Troll Hunters 2, Rise of Olympus
Find More Play n Go slots

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