Fear the Dark Slot Review

Overview

Now let's get into the blood and guts of this beast! Fear The Dark runs on a 6x6 grid with cluster pays, so wins are triggered by landing 5 or more matching symbols in adjacent spots horizontally or vertically. Instead of paylines, you just need to make symbol blocks anywhere on the grid.

With an RTP of 96.25%, the game provides frequent payouts, though the maximum win is capped at 5,000x your stake. There's a wide betting range from just £0.10 up to £100 per spin to accommodate all budgets. While it may not have the highest top prizes, the fun features and medium volatility provide an action-packed experience!

One thing that makes Fear The Dark unique is the lack of wilds. However, this allows the lucrative scatter symbols to really shine. There are two separate scatters, each unlocking their own bonus feature:

🔮 Full Moon scatter - Activates the Full Moon feature

🕯️ Candle scatter - Triggers the Alone in the Dark free spins

Let's explore how these play out...

My Thoughts Overall

Getting into my personal experience with the game, I had an absolute blast playing Fear The Dark! The medium volatility means I got to enjoy plenty of regular wins and smaller features to keep me satisfied. And while it didn't rain massive jackpots, I still encountered some enticing prize potential during the free spins and multiplier features.

What really makes Fear The Dark stand out is its presentation. The graphics have this nostalgic charm that energizes the whole gaming experience. It's almost like playing a vintage arcade game or 80s cartoon - the characters are goofy, the colors are vibrant and the vibe is just fun. I think Hacksaw Gaming really honed their artistic talents with this lighthearted horror theme.

The cluster pays and cascading wins also make for smooth, fast-paced gameplay. I never felt bored since new wins were constantly dropping in with the avalanche effect. And being able to land combos anywhere on the grid feels more liberating than following rigid paylines. It provides plenty of opportunities to hit those symbol clusters and keep the excitement going.

While the maximum rewards may be moderate compared to some slots, the frequency of payouts and variety of features gives this game huge entertainment value. I'd easily choose a fun slot like this over some boring high volatility game any day!

Bonus Features

Now for the extra bloody cherry filling - the bonus features! Fear The Dark has two main attractions plus an additional perk for free spins fans.

Full Moon Feature

This is activated when the spooky Full Moon scatter lands on the grid during the base game. Suddenly 2-5 of the high paying symbols will become "enchanted" with multipliers from 2x up to 100x! Any wins you hit with those marked symbols will payout multiplied for as long as the bonus is active.

After your first spin, the multipliers start getting removed from left to right, taking their corresponding symbols with them. This makes room for more cascading wins as new symbols crash down. The feature only ends when all the marked multipliers are gone.

I always got excited when the Full Moon arrived! It was thrilling to see my wins get ramped up by those big multipliers, especially when it landed the 100x jackpot. This feature really adds some spice to the base game and can lead to massive win potential.

Alone in the Dark Free Spins

This bonus round is activated by landing 3 or more of the Candle scatters during the base game. You'll instantly win 10 to 15 free spins based on how many scatters appeared.

These free rounds come with a higher chance of triggering the lucrative Full Moon feature we just discussed. Plus any additional Candle scatters grant you 4 extra spins!

Once the free spins end, you enter the Darkness Spins phase. Here you get 2 final spins as the grid shrinks down, giving you one last chance to retrigger bonuses before returning to the base game.

The Alone in the Dark free spins is where you can hit the game's maximum 5,000x jackpot, so I was constantly hoping for those three Candles to bless me. The bonus buy option lets you pay to trigger it instantly, but I preferred playing organically.

Darkness Spins

This bonus phase kicks in automatically after you finish all your free spins from Alone in the Dark. You'll get 2 final spins on a shrinking grid for one last chance at bonuses.

The grid size gets reduced to 4x4 for the first spin, then 2x2 for the final spin. If you can manage to retrigger the Full Moon or Candles here, it will reset the grid to normal and get you right back into the bonus fun!

While it only provides 2 spins, I loved having that last potential lifeline to continue riding the bonus train. The shrinking grid really builds anticipation too - will you squeeze in an extra bonus before it's too late?

Win Potential

Fear the Dark has a max payout of 5,000x your stake, which is admittedly lower than other Hacksaw slots but still solid. With an RTP of 96.25% and medium volatility, both small and big wins feel achievable.

Even during standard play, I frequently hit mini payouts to build my balance thanks to the cascading wins. But the big reward potential comes when you trigger those lucrative multipliers during the features.

One time, I triggered the Full Moon bonus and hit the zombie symbol with a massive 100x multiplier attached. Let's just say I was thrilled when it resulted in the max payout! While this combo may be rare, the huge win left me buzzing.

The free spins can also stack multipliers together for insane payouts. I appreciate that despite the creepy theme, Fear the Dark delivers regular excitement and rewards.