Ways of the Gauls

Ways of the Gauls Overview

If you enjoyed the comics of Asterix and Obelix as a child, you are bound to love this exciting new game from the Platipus studio. Themed around the Gaulish people who inhabited mainland Europe from the 5th century BC to the 5th century AD, this game has five vertical reels and one horizontal reel in an unusual playing window. With an Extraways dynamic, this game functions much like a game with a Megaways mechanic. This means that the number of symbols falling in each reel changes from spin to spin, also changing the number of pay lines per spin.

The features begin with the Gaul Druid character, who fulfils the role of the wild icon in this game. Therefore he can substitute for other symbols to help score more wins. The next feature is the free spins bonus game triggered when players simultaneously land three or more scatters on the reels. This feature provides six bonus spins, during which all icons on the top horizontal reel move one cell to the left with each free spin. This game also has a re-spin game, an instant cash bonus feature and a bonus buy option (although this latter feature is not available to players in the UK).

Theme and Symbols

This game is themed around the stories and legends of the Gaul people, made contemporarily famous in the iconic comic ‘The Adventures of Asterix’. The Gauls were people who lived in Gaul, a region of Europe that is now split into areas of Germany, France and Switzerland. They were Celtic people with a distinctive language and culture with many religious influences. The Gauls were divided into several tribes, each with its ruler. The most powerful tribe was the Arverni, which Vercingetorix ruled. The Gauls were fierce warriors known for their skill in battle.

They were also known for their love of wine, and their feasts were famous for their drunkenness. Although, this game focuses more on the druids of the Gauls and the famous potion that gave Asterix and Obelix their immense supernatural strength.
The background for this game is a spooky wood that looks like it holds within it some incredible magic. The trees that comprise this forest are twisted and gnarled almost unnaturally. The ground-level forest litter is composed of rotting leaves and sodden loamy earth. Studded into the ground like teeth are tombstone-shaped tablets, each displaying a runic icon that glows an incandescent blue. The scene is one of mystery and excitement where you feel a cloaked figure may appear with a long white beard and crooked staff to offer you a transformative tincture.

The playing board for this game is a gold-fringed rectangle that feels a little incongruous considering its dark and sinister surroundings.
The symbols for this game are split into low-paying, high-paying and special symbols. The low-paying symbols are the 10, J, Q, K and A in playing card royals. The most valuable of these icons is the A, paying out at 0.5x the stake for the top combination. On the other hand, the more valuable symbols are the axe, horn, helmet, and blonde man. The man is the most valuable of the regular paying symbols at 5x the stake for the top combination. The specials comprise the bonus shield, the druid wilds, the potion icon, and the cauldron scatter, which pays out at 5x the stake for the top combination.

Game Play

Ways of the Gauls is played on a 5-reel Extraways machine, meaning that the number of symbols that appear in each reel changes with every spin. This also means that the pay lines change too. The maximum number that is available is 12,348. To win combinations, players must land three or more matching symbols on pay lines moving from left to right, starting from the leftmost reel.

The betting range for Ways of the Gauls is 10p to £10 per spin. To adjust their bet levels, players can toggle their stake up and down using the tool located at the bottom left-hand side of the screen.
Further information, including a short tutorial and a display of the paytable, can be found via the menu button in the right-hand corner of the screen. The spin and auto spin buttons are located in the centre of the screen.
Volatility for this slot is rated in the high range. The return to player percentage for Ways of the Gauls is 95%, which is below average. The biggest payout that players can win on one spin is 12,250x your stake.

Features

The first feature included in this game is the wild bonus. The wild in this game, as mentioned, is the druid. He can substitute for other icons barring specials to help score more wins.
The next feature is the free spins bonus, activated when players land three or more scatters on the reels simultaneously. This bonus awards players with six free spins. For the duration of this feature, all icons on the top horizontal reel move one cell to the left with each free spin.

This game also has a re-spin feature. To trigger it, players must land six or more of the bonus shield anywhere on the reels at the same time. Each of these bonus symbols carries a cash value. When the bonus is activated, the game will grant three re-spins with all the bonus symbols becoming frozen. Players will receive a fresh three re-spins if a new shield should land. When the feature ends, when you run out of re-spins, or the entire board is full of shields, the value of all of the bonus symbols is totalled up and paid out to you.
This game also has a potion symbol. Land this icon on the top horizontal reel with a wild or bonus underneath it, and you will be awarded a Bonus icon with Triskelion (the three-legged idol). This special symbol may transform into a multiplier wild, a jackpot icon or instant cash win icon, all of which can lead to more money in the pot.

Finally, there is also a bonus buy option. However, this is not available to players from the UK.

Conclusion

If you are in luck, you may be given a sip of the magic potion that delivers strength and wisdom enough to win big in this exciting new game from Platipus. Sadly, even with magical druid powers, not many players will be able to overcome the very high volatility and low RTP percentage. This is a fun game for sure, but not one to invest too much of your hard-earned cash.