Scroll of Dead

Scroll of Dead Slot Review

Slot Provider: Play n Go

RTP: 96.28% | Variance: High | Maximum Win: 7,500x

Our Score: 8.2

Play at Casumo Casino
QUICK LINKS: Game Information | Where To Play | Full Review | 200 Spins | Compare Slots | Tips For Players | About The Developer

About Scroll of Dead

Reviewed by:

Published Date: 8th June 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.

Scroll of Dead is an Ancient Egyptian slot from Play n Go with 5 reels and up to 10 paylines. It is part of a series of games that started with Book of Dead. In this version, the Scarab acts as both Wild and Scatter, triggering 8 free spins when 3 or more land. In this bonus round, one symbol is chosen as an expander, expanding to full reel height when it lands to trigger wins. A 6th reel also comes into play to increase paylines. The top win is 7,500x and spins start from just 1p.

Scroll of Dead Game Information

  • RTP: 96.28% | 94.28% | 91.28% | 87.26% | 84.25%
  • Variance: High
  • Maximum Win: 7,500x
  • Progressive Jackpot: No
  • Reels: 5
  • Rows: 3
  • Paylines: 10
  • Minimum Stake: £0.01
  • Theme: Ancient Egypt
  • Features: Wilds, Expander Symbols, Free Spins

Scroll of Dead Review Scores

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

What Our Reviewer Says ...

"Superb atmosphere in a slot very much in the Book of tradition but with an added 6th reel to increase the size of wins in the bonus round."

Our Score: 8.2

Scroll of Dead Pros and Cons

What We Liked

  • Ancient-Egyptian theme and luxury design
  • Full screen of icons possible
  • Hidden 6th reel
  • Low minimum bet
  • Expanding icons boost paytable

What We Didn't like

  • Lacks originality

Theme & Design

Our Score 9

Supernatural Blue and a 6th Reel Add New Elements To Classic Book of … Game

If these Book of games are all about preserving the basic elements whilst adding a dash of newness each time then Scroll of Dead is ticking the right boxes. The standard Ancient Egyptian motifs are all present and correct – an ancient, cavernous tomb with giant stone pillars, flaming torches perched on the walls, golden touches all over the reels and hieroglyphic-style symbols. Meanwhile, the soundtrack throughout is that orchestral-Middle Eastern string style that seems to accompany any Egyptian-style slot.

Scroll of Dead by Play n Go
Scroll of Dead – added supernatural blues and 6th reel

What is added is a rich blue color that bathes the backdrop and gives the game an almost supernatural atmosphere, and a sixth reel, that is under chain and padlock, only to be broken open when enough Scarab Scatters land. Then a cool animation plays out where the chain rattles and the padlock explodes open.

Overall, it’s a slick production and one that should please fans of the series as well as those spinning a Book of .. game for the first time.

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.

Like most Play n Go slots, Scroll of Dead has more than one RTP setting – 5 in fact. They are 96.28%, 94.28%, 91.28%, 87.26% and 84.25%. It is at the discretion of the casino operator to decide which setting to run the game at. In the UK you will find that most slot sites run at either 94.28% or 96.28%. Clearly the higher, the better, and I would avoid anywhere less than 94.28%. For this review I checked the RTP at some popular casinos. This is what I found.

Both MrQ and Barz Casino are running Scroll of Dead at the highest RTP setting so I would recommend that you play at one of those sites if this is important to you.

And in keeping with all other slots in the Book of … series, Book of Scroll is highly volatile, keeping back much of its RTP for the bonus round where an additional reel and expanding symbols come into play.

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 in Scroll of Dead is 7,500x. That is higher than the original Book of Dead (5,000x) but lower than others like Ghost of Dead (10,000x) for example. It is also significantly lower than Play n Go’s highest paying slots like Kiss Reels of Rock (50,000x). To me, it offers reasonable potential in a game format that we are all familiar with.

Explore Games With Similar RTP, Variance and Maximum Win

Like the numbers? Here are some more games you might want to try.

Slot SiteSupplierRTPVarianceTop Payout
Ghost of DeadPlay n Go96.21%High10,000xPlay Here
Hand of AnubisHacksaw Gaming96.24%High10,000xPlay Here
Pug LifeHacksaw Gaming96.33%Medium7,500xPlay Here
Gronk’s GemsHacksaw Gaming96.22%Medium7,500xPlay Here
Toro 7sELK Studios95%High10,000xPlay Here
Fate of FortuneELK Studios95%High10,000xPlay Here
Valley of the Gods 2Yggdrasil Gaming96.3%High6,423xPlay Here
Triple Royal GoldThunderkick96.41%High5,000xPlay Here

Symbols and Paytable

Our Score 8

Scroll of Dead is a 5 reel and 3 row game, but there is an additional 6th reel that comes into play when the free spins round triggers. That brings even more value to a paytable which is already promising.

There are 10 paylines to win on. However, as is normal for Book of games by Play n Go, the configuration gives you the opportunity to drop the number of paylines down to 1 and bet just 1p per spin.

Paytable in Scroll of Dead
Paytable with 750x win for 6 queen symbols

Low paying symbols are the cards, 10 through to Ace. These are valued at from 0.4x for 3 10s up to 12.5x for 5 Aces when 5 reels are in play, or 20x for 6 Aces when 6 reels are in play.

The four premium symbols are the cross, the bird, the serpent and the queen. These are valued at from 0.4x for 3 of the crosses up to a substantial 500x for 5 queens, or 750x for 6 queens if 6 reels are in play.

Features and Gameplay

Our Score 8

Land 3 Or More Scarab Wilds To Trigger Free Spins

There is nothing new about the core mechanic in Scroll of Dead. There is a Wild symbol, represented by a Scarab Beatle that can land on any reel on any spin. It will substitute for all other symbols to complete paylines but also perform the duty of a scatter symbol. That means, when 3 or more land ANYWHERE on the reels, that triggers 8 free spins. In this case it also gets you a payout – 3, 4 or 5 earn you a 2x, 20x or 200x win.

Scroll of Dead Free Spins Round
Triggering Free Spins in Scroll of Dead

Before the spins start, one paytable symbol is chosen as an expander. When it lands during the free spins, if it in doing so it can complete a payline, then it expands.

Expanding Symbols in free spins round
Jacks expanding on 4 reels in testing

But there is one key difference between this and other Play n Go Book of games – a SIXTH reel opens up when the free spins round starts. So now paylines can be SIX symbols long, creating the chance to score bigger payouts.

Gamble To Power-Up Your Wins

Finally, there is also a Gamble Feature that will be familiar to fans of this series. After any base game win you can bet on the turn of a card to 2x or 4x your win. Bet on the color for a 2x win, or the suit for a 4x win. You can gamble 5 times this way.

The Final Verdict

Our Score 8.2

I enjoyed Scroll of Dead. This series can feel dated in the current era of sophisticated feature-packed games, but sometimes the old ones are the best, and the classic Book of format with expanding symbols and free spins is hard to beat. In my opinion Play n Go have added enough extra in the 6th reel to breathe some new life into the game and with the enhanced top payout of 7,500x, its worth giving this version some time. It still has a wicked volatility, so think carefully about how much you want to stake on each spin as it can give a bumpy ride as I found out in testing.

In conclusion, with its slick production and supernatural blue, and it’s powered-up 6 reel gameplay, Ghost of Dead ensures that this famous series continues to deliver in style.

Boom or Bust? 200 Spins On Scroll of Dead

To give you an accurate and honest 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.

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

  • Stake Size: £0.1
  • Start balance: £27.79
  • End balance: £34.12
  • Biggest Win: 86x
  • Free Spins: 4
  • Session Time: 20 minutes 15 seconds

This was an interesting session in which the free spins round triggered 4 times. I would say that is unusual. Most high variance slots will give you 1 or 2 goes at the bonus round in a 200 spin session, so 4 is good. The results were mixed, showing that unlocking the round is one thing, getting a good win from it is another. The best was an 86x when the Jack was chosen as the expander. Two or more landed on 4 of the 6 spins and once it landed on 4 reels. On another occasion, the top paying serpent was chosen. Sounds good? It only landed once and the net results was a 12x win.

An 86x win in Scroll of Dead
An 86x win from free spins in testing

What does this tell us? Having a high value symbol for your expander doesn’t necessarily mean you come out with a big win. Other random factors are at play! But I’ve no complaints, Ghost of Dead felt good to play and the production is top class.

Useful Tips When Playing Scroll 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. Make Use Of The Stake Options

Book of games are some of the few to have optional paylines. This makes it possible to play this volatile game at a very low wager – 1p. Use that to help stretch your balance as you hunt down the bonus round.

2. Use The Gamble Option Carefully

This is also a game with a gamble option on base game wins. You can double or quadruple you bet on the turn of a card. Think before you act though – you could lose it all! I rarely do it on big wins.

3. Play With A Slots Bonus

Use the lists of recommended casinos on our site to find a slots bonus available for Play n Go games like this one. That way you can bet with free money as well as your own.

4. Play Only At Licensed Slot Sites

I have chosen the sites on this page because they are all licensed in the UK. That means they are fair and safe and games have been audited to ensure each spin ends with a random outcome.

Who Made Scroll 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

Like The Sound of Scroll of Dead? Here are 4 more games chosen for you...

Ghost of Dead

Variance: High

Max Win: 10,000x

Our Score: 8.2

Book of Power

Variance: High

Max Win: 15,000x

Our Score: 8.4

Book of Shadows

Variance: High

Max Win: 30,338x

Our Score: 9.0

Book of Duat

Variance: HIgh

Max Win: 32,760x

Our Score: 8.8

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