Introduction to Shadow of Dominion
Shadow of Dominion is a casino slot from Slotmill with a dark fantasy setup that draws inspiration from Norse mythology, while not being entirely reliant on it. Characteristic runes, consisting of crude, straight lines, flaming anvils, and an abundance of animal-related imagery, form strong ties to ancient Viking beliefs, yet the game maintains its own unique aura at the same time. At the heart of this mystical scene, a 6x6 grid rumbles with stone tiles exploding in a scatter-pays fashion, increasing the win multiplier with every cascade. Occasional giant symbols, forming 2x2 and 3x3 blocks, will potentially lead to stronger combinations, while randomly triggered Dominion Respins will hold winning symbols in place and continue the cycle as long as you keep adding new ones that improve the initial result. Plus, during Free Spins, you'll get to benefit from a persistent multiplier that can grow indefinitely until the end of the feature. Let's explore this mysterious realm in all its dark glory.
Theme, Gameplay & Payouts
Shadow of Dominion is a video slot from Slotmill with 6 reels, 6 rows, and a scatter-pays win system, requiring 8 or more matching symbols to land anywhere in view. The range of available betting options starts from a Min.bet of 0.20 and goes all the way up to a Max.bet of 100. You can increase that value further by using the Xtra Bet feature, bringing it up to 200. The game offers a default RTP of 96.12%, which is on the lower end of the industry average. Additionally, there is one alternative variant of 94.07% also available for operators, so be sure to check your version before playing. You can expect higher wins to be further apart but more valuable on average when you score a hit due to high volatility, while the max win achievable in a single round is 10,000x the bet.
Upon launching Shadow of Dominion, you enter a spacious, obscure hall seemingly carved in raw stone. It feels like an abandoned, ancient cathedral, a place where mysterious rituals took place. Remnants of that old energy still linger between these walls, filling the area with ominous mist and charging the runes with an enigmatic glow. You can start harnessing that mythical aura on a massive grid standing in the middle, where stone blocks and figures depicting various creatures can form into winning combinations. A beaming orb hovering on the right will reward you for every successful hit by increasing the multiplier value displayed on its surface. Thanks to the game's responsive design, you can explore this ancient sanctuary on any modern device, whether you prefer to play on a desktop, a smartphone, or a tablet.
In the paytable, you'll find regular symbols split into two categories. Regardless of the hierarchy, to achieve a win, you'll need to land at least 8 matching ones anywhere on the board. The low-paying icons are represented by runes glowing purple, orange, green, and blue, which award from 10x to 25x the bet for matching 36 or more on the grid. Mechanical creatures resembling a wolf, a snake, an eagle, and a bull represent the high-paying symbols, which bring payouts of between 40x and 100x the bet. At the top of the hierarchy is an image of a masked priest, paying 500x the bet for a set of 36 or more identical instances. In addition, reels also hold Bonus symbols appearing as a flaming anvil.
Special Features & Slot Mechanics
What is the max win in the slot Shadow of Dominion?
You can win up to 10,000x the bet.
What features are available in the slot Shadow of Dominion?
The features are Cascading, Win Multiplier, Giant Symbols, Dominion Respins, Free Spins & Super Free Spins, and Feature Buy (Fast Track).
Cascading
Cascading, also called Avalanches in this case, allows you to score multiple consecutive wins within a single game round. Every initial combination disappears from the grid, causing the remaining symbols to drop and new ones to fill up the board. This can potentially lead to more hits, thus repeating the cycle until no new combinations can be formed.
Win Multiplier
At the beginning of every base game spin, the Win Multiplier starts from x1. Each consecutive cascade achieved within the same game round increases it by 1.
Giant Symbols
Any regular symbol can appear as a Giant Symbol in the size of 2x2 or 3x3, counting as 4 or 9 individual instances, respectively. Additionally, each Giant Symbol can hold a multiplier, which is added to the global Win Multiplier when the symbol participates in a win.
Dominion Respins
The feature can trigger randomly at the beginning of any spin. One symbol is selected, and the grid is populated by a random number of them. Remaining positions are blockers. If you hit at least one new matching symbol, another respin is granted, and the cycle continues as long as you keep improving the combination. You can also land an Upgrade symbol that transforms all present symbols into a higher value type.
Free Spins & Super Free Spins
Hitting a set of 3 Bonus symbols or 2 Bonus and 1 Super Bonus symbol activates 6 Free Spins or 6 Super Free Spins, respectively. Each additional Bonus symbol in the triggering combination grants 2 more spins, up to a maximum of 12. During the round, the Win Multiplier is persistent and does not reset between spins. In the Super mode, a Giant Symbol is guaranteed on every spin.
Feature Buy (Fast Track)
Like most games from Slotmill, Shadow of Dominion comes with a Fast Track menu containing several options to trigger features and bonuses for a fixed price.
2x = Xtra-Bet, with a 3.6x higher chance to trigger the bonus game.
10x = a spin with a guaranteed Giant Symbol.
50x = instantly trigger Dominion Respins.
100x = instantly trigger regular Free Spins.
400x = instantly trigger Super Free Spins.
Final Thoughts on Shadow of Dominion
In Shadow of Dominion, Slotmill has built a dark yet intriguing world inspired by Norse mythology, where ancient energy empowers a selection of familiar and well-matched features. The design should appeal to anyone who appreciates a bit of mystery woven into a sublime setting dabbling in mythical storytelling. It's clean and detailed at the same time, while maintaining a feeling of awe with its stone-carved environment adorned with mysterious runes and cryptic figures occupying the premium symbols. The rendering quality is top-notch as well, as it usually is coming from an experienced provider like Slotmill.
The feature configuration should not leave anyone puzzled, as the game operates on a couple of trending mechanics that appeared in one form or another in numerous productions. The increasing win multiplier tied to cascading scatter wins is the main driving force, which is as straightforward as it can be. By landing as many consecutive as possible in a single sequence, you can increase it to an impressive figure, although, naturally, the base game will only get you so far. Free Spins is where all the fun culminates, thanks to the progressive nature of the said multiplier. Giant Symbols would be a relatively insignificant addition if it weren't for the additional multipliers they add to the global multiplier whenever they participate in a win, so that's a welcome twist. Altogether, the entire production doesn't seem to try to revolutionise the online slots landscape, but rather deliver a consistent experience based on popular features and strong visuals.
Shadow of Dominion plays to its strengths with a clean, dark fantasy theme and a collection of uncomplicated yet nicely collaborating features.
