Hounds of Hell, a recent slot by Hacksaw Gaming, plunges players into a fiery underworld. The game features a 5×5 grid with a cascade-style mechanic, where wins trigger symbol removals and replacements. The atmosphere is dark and intense, featuring animated flames, ominous gates, and ferocious hounds, all set to a heavy metal soundtrack. The core gameplay revolves around the unique Hellhound symbols, which function as spreading and accumulating multipliers. High volatility promises substantial, though less frequent, wins. The slot also features FeatureSpins™, allowing players to modify gameplay, offering more chances to enter bonus round, or guaranteeing at least 3 hellhounds symbols to appear. The RTP is set at 96.27%. Bonus features include “What the Hell!” and “Who Let the Hounds Out?!?”, triggered by scatter symbols or a Bonus Buy option, offering free spins with enhanced mechanics. Bonus Gamble round is also present, where player can gamble earned free spins, risking to lose them all.
Hacksaw Gaming's “Hounds of Hell” is a cascade-style slot with a 5×5 grid that offers a gameplay experience that sets it apart. The game's core revolves around the collection and utilization of Hellhound symbols, which act as multipliers. These multipliers are not your typical wilds; instead, they are cash prize symbols that spread and accumulate, adding a layer of strategic depth. At the end of each spin, landed Hellhound symbols spread to the top of their respective reel. All Hellhound symbols will then display a multiplier value. All multipliers will be collected bottom-to-top, left-to-right, and displayed above each corresponding reel.
Bonus Features: Where “Hounds of Hell” Shines
“Hounds of Hell” offers three distinct bonus features, each triggered by the appearance of “FS” scatter symbols or through a Bonus Buy option. It is notable, that Bonus Buy option is a rare offering in Hacksaw's slots. Here's a breakdown of each feature:
- What the Hell! – Landing 3 FS scatter symbols simultaneously during the base game awards you 10 free spins. This bonus retains the base game's mechanics, but with an amplified intensity. Multiplier values from Hellhounds are persistent above the reels until the end of the round and can be progressively increased.
- Interesting fact: In this bonus, Hounds are Loose feature is guaranteed to trigger after 3 non-winning spins in a row. The spin considered non-winning if it has neither regular symbol wins nor any landed Hellhound symbols.
- The appearance of additional FS symbols during the free spins awards extra spins: 2 FS symbols grant +2 spins, while 3 FS symbols grant +4 spins.
- Who Let the Hounds Out!?! – This top-tier bonus is triggered by finding a Bonus Upgrade during the “What the Hell!” feature or by landing 4 FS scatter symbols simultaneously during the base game. This bonus offers 10 free spins with Hell Reels that activate when a Hellhound first lands on a reel. Each activated Hell Reel guarantees a Hellhound on each subsequent free spin.
- Important note: In this mode, Hellhound multipliers are added together and paid out times your bet at the end of each free spin, and the total multipliers above each reel reset to 0 between spins.
- Bonus Gamble – After each bonus trigger (except “Bonus Hunt FeatureSpins”, described below), players have an option to gamble their earned free spins for a chance to win more. In this round player need to choose one of 5 Hellfire Orbs, each of them can award from 2 to 10 free spins or lead to bonus upgrade, if “What the Hell!” feature was activated. It's important to mention that each gamble is successful, the amount of available Hellfire Orbs for the next gamble decreases, making next choice harder. You can gamble up to 3 times or until 10 free spins of “Who Let the Hounds Out?!?” feature is won. This gamble round can lead to great wins, but can also make you lose all earned free spins. So think twice before entering it.
FeatureSpins™: Tailoring the Experience
“Hounds of Hell” introduces the FeatureSpins™ option, a unique mechanic that allows players to modify the game's behavior. This adds a layer of player agency rarely seen in slots. You can activate one of the following FeatureSpins™ by pressing “BUY BONUS” button located on the left side of the screen:
- Bonus Hunt FeatureSpins™ – Each spin becomes 5 times more likely to trigger a bonus game. Activating this feature costs 3x your base bet.
- Howling FeatureSpins™ – Each spin guarantees that at least 3 Hellhound symbols land. This mode is a great way to familiarize yourself with the core multiplier mechanic. This option costs 60x your base bet.
Hellhound Multipliers: Fueling the Fire
The Hellhound symbols are the stars of the show. There are two types: Adding and Multiplying. Their values can be:
- Adding: 1x, 2x, 3x, 4x, 5x, 10x, 15x, 20x, 25x, 50x
- Multiplying: x2, x3, x4, x5, x10
It's possible that these multipliers have different chances to appear.
Roaring Packs of Hell: If two or more Hellhound symbols appear on adjacent reels and on the same row (horizontally adjacent) they form a Roaring Pack and their possible multiplier values are increased. It's an important nuance of the slot, and understanding its mechanics can lead to significant wins. Hellhound symbols which spread from a Hellhound that is part of a Roaring Pack will also be counted as part of the Pack.
The possible multiplier values that can appear on Hellhound symbols that are part of a Roaring Pack are:
- Adding: 5x, 10x, 15x, 20x, 25x, 50x, 100x
- Multiplying: x3, x4, x5, x10, x20
If a Hellhound has been part of a Roaring Pack it will remain part of the Pack even if it is separated and ends up on a different row as a result of winning symbol cascades.
Hounds are Loose: This mini-feature can be triggered randomly on a spin once the grid is settled and no new wins are formed. When the Hounds are Loose appear, all low-paying symbols are removed and new symbols will drop in to take their place. Hounds are Loose can trigger multiple times per spin.
After the Hounds are Loose clear away all low-paying symbols, there is an increased chance of landing Hellhound symbols among the new symbols that drop in.
If some feature or game mechanics described above seems difficult or unclear, you may wish to play the demo Hounds of Hell version first. All official descriptions of each game mechanic can be found by clicking the (i) button after launching the demo.
Aesthetic and Atmosphere: Infernal Elegance
“Hounds of Hell” presents a visually striking, dark theme. The game's backdrop depicts a hellish landscape, with animated flames and imposing gates guarded by ferocious hounds. While the theme is intense, it avoids being overly graphic or disturbing. The symbols themselves are well-designed, with lower-paying symbols represented by stylized runes and higher-paying symbols featuring occult imagery. The animations are smooth and impactful, particularly when the Hellhounds spread across the reels. The sound design is equally impressive, featuring a heavy metal soundtrack that perfectly complements the action. The howls of the hounds and the roar of the flames add to the immersive experience.
Gameplay Mechanics: Cascade with a Twist
The core gameplay loop is a familiar cascade system. Winning combinations are formed by landing 6 or more matching symbols anywhere on the grid. Each winning symbol is then removed, and new ones drop down to fill the empty spaces. However, the presence of the Hellhound multipliers is a game-changer. The fact that they accumulate and spread vertically introduces a layer of anticipation rarely found in cascade slots. Watching your multipliers grow as you land consecutive cascades is incredibly satisfying.
The game's high volatility means that wins can be infrequent, but when they hit, they can be substantial. The maximum win potential of 12,500x your bet is certainly enticing. The betting range is broad, accommodating both casual players and high rollers, with bets ranging from €0.10 to €100.
Symbolism: More Than Just Skulls and Bones
The symbols in “Hounds of Hell” are not merely decorative; they play a role in the overall narrative. The low-paying symbols, stylized runes, are frequently replaced during “Hounds are Loose” feature, highlighting their transient nature. The high-paying symbols, with their occult imagery (skulls, pentagrams, etc.), hint at a deeper, more sinister power at play. The FS scatter symbols are quite prominent due to bright colors, while the Hellhound symbols are the most prominent, emphasizing their importance.
Is It Worth Playing?
“Hounds of Hell” offers a refreshingly different take on the cascade slot genre. Its multiplier mechanic is engaging, the FeatureSpins™ add a layer of player control, and the overall presentation is top-notch. While the high volatility might not appeal to everyone, the potential for massive wins is undeniable.