Scales of Dead (Play’n GO) – Review & Demo Play

The Scales of Dead Slot Game

Play’n GO keeps the ‘Book of’ flame burning with Scales of Dead, a 5-reel, 3-row slot with 10 fixed paylines and bets from 0.10 to 100. It looks like a straight trip to Egypt, complete with ankhs, pyramids, and a golden Tomb, but the maths is the real draw. The default RTP sits at 96.21% with alternative configurations available, and the volatility is rated 9 out of 10. As part of the Dead series, it sticks to classic rules, then adds a neat twist.

Symbols and Payouts in Scales of Dead

Symbols in Scales of Dead are split into low and high pays. The 10, J, Q, K, and A royals return 8 to 15 times the bet for five of a kind. Premiums are a jackal, a bird, an ankh, and a hooded cobra, paying 75 to 500 times the bet for five on a line, with the top symbols paying from two of a kind as well. It’s a familiar ‘Book of’ spread that keeps base game hits ticking over.

One symbol does double duty in Scales of Dead. The golden Tomb acts as both wild and scatter, present on all reels, substituting for regular pays but not the special Expanding symbol. Three or more Tombs trigger free spins, and the wild side pays like the cobra. The paytable is clear about how the special Expanding symbol works in bonuses, and that wilds do not replace it, which matters when the grid fills with expanding reels.

Scales of Dead Symbols and Paytable

Symbol	Quantity	Payout
	Scatter, Wild
	5	x500
	4	x100
	3	x10
	2	x1
	5	x500
	4	x100
	3	x10
	2	x1
	5	x200
	4	x40
	3	x4
	2	x0.5
	5	x75
	4	x10
	3	x3
	2	x0.5
	5	x75
	4	x10
	3	x3
	2	x0.5
	5	x15
	4	x4
	3	x0.5
	5	x15
	4	x4
	3	x0.5
	5	x8
	4	x2
	3	x0.4
	5	x8
	4	x2
	3	x0.4
	5	x8
	4	x2
	3	x0.4

Scales of Dead Slot Bonus Features

Hit three or more Tomb scatters in Scales of Dead and you get 8 free spins. Before they begin, one regular pay symbol is randomly chosen as the special Expanding symbol. When enough of that symbol lands, it expands to cover its reels and pays all lines from any position, so adjacency is irrelevant. This is the series’ hallmark mechanic, and it can turn a modest spin into a board-filling moment when the chosen icon keeps dropping.

During free spins, landing two or more Tomb scatters triggers Sandstorm Free Spins. You start with 4 rounds, using the same Expanding symbol, and any two or more scatters add +2 Sandstorm spins, up to 30 for that trigger. The kicker is multipliers: each expanding hit carries a random x2, x3, or x4 applied to the Expanding symbol. When the reels line up, those multiplied expansions can move wins well beyond the base expanding payouts.

The Gamble feature in Scales of Dead pops after a win. You can guess the colour of a face-down card to double the prize or pick the suit to quadruple it, and the round can be played up to five times in a row. I treat it as a side punt when a tidy win lands, as a wrong pick wipes the lot, but the ladder can turn a good hit into a headline one.

How to Win at Scales of Dead Slot

Gameplay is straightforward. Set a stake between 0.10 and 100, spin the 5x3 reels, and aim for 3+ symbol matches from the leftmost reel across 10 non-adjustable lines. I keep an eye on the chosen Expanding symbol in bonuses, as it pays on all lines from any position once it triggers. Autoplay and Turbo can speed up sessions, but I prefer manual spins when a bonus feels close, riding the variance while waiting for Tomb scatters to land in clusters.

Scales of Dead Slot RTP & Volatility

The Scales of Dead RTP is 96.21% by default, though operators can run lower settings such as 94.21%, 91.21%, 87.21%, or 84.21%. Volatility is high, rated 9 out of 10, so sessions can swing. I always check the help screen before playing for cash, as the configuration matters over time. When the higher setting is available, I take it, then size stakes so the bankroll can handle dry spells while chasing the feature chain.

Top potential reaches 10,000x the bet. Symbol values have not been chopped to make room for the multipliers, so a full screen of the best premium still sits at 5,000x before any Sandstorm modifier. Combine that outcome with an x4 expanding hit and you've got the ceiling. It’s a proper high risk, high reward profile, and the extra Sandstorm spins, up to 30 per trigger, give enough attempts to see the big round take shape.

The Final Thoughts on Scales of Dead

Scales of Dead isn't the flashiest take on ancient Egypt, yet the Sandstorm Free Spins multipliers make the familiar Expanding play feel sharper. I like the way the wild scatter ties everything together, and I’ll take a punt on the Gamble when a tidy base hit drops. Fans of the Dead series will feel at home, and the 10,000x top end keeps me coming back for another heat-blasted trek across those dunes.