Valley of the Gods Slot Review
We spent serious time testing Valley of the Gods before writing this Valley of the Gods slot review because this is one of the most mechanically unusual slots Yggdrasil Gaming has ever produced. Released on 24 August 2017, it has no wilds, no scatters and no traditional free spins. Instead everything runs through a respin system where every win clears golden scarab blockers from the grid, expands the playing field from 45 to 3,125 ways to win, and keeps giving you free respins until you lose. Then there are two statues on either side of the reels that slowly fill with blue and red scarabs to deliver win multipliers and extra lives. It is completely different from every other Egyptian-themed slot on the market and that is exactly why it has kept a loyal player base for nearly eight years.
| Provider: | Yggdrasil Gaming |
| RTP: | 96.20% |
| Type: | Video Slots |
| Launched: | 2017 |
| Volatility: | Medium |
| Max Win: | 5800x |
| Min/Max Bet: | $0.10/$100.00 |
Valley of the Gods Demo
Where To Play Valley of the Gods
- FastPay100% up to NZ$750 + 100 Free SpinsSecond deposit bonus 75% up to NZ$75
Author: Liam Harrington
Valley of the Gods Slot Game Overview
Valley of the Gods is a five-reel, five-row video slot from Yggdrasil Gaming, released 24 August 2017. The grid starts with 12 blocker positions covered by scarab symbols, leaving 45 active ways to win at the start of each paid spin. As winning combinations land and blockers clear, the grid expands to a maximum of 3,125 ways to win when all positions are fully open. The game carries a medium volatility rating with an RTP of 96.2%. There are no wilds, no scatters and no traditional free spins feature. The maximum win is 5,800x your stake. The Valley of the Gods online slot has an ancient Egyptian theme with Horus, Anubis, Sphinx and Bastet as the premium symbols and hieroglyphs filling the lower-paying positions.
Our review of Valley of the Gods found a game that rewards patience and produces sessions with a very different feel to standard Egyptian slots. The respin system creates natural momentum when wins start chaining. A clearing grid combined with growing win multipliers and extra lives protecting against resets is genuinely exciting in a way that no scatter-triggered free spins round replicates. Between productive chains the paid spins can feel slow because you are essentially paying to restart the blocker clearing cycle. But when the chain extends properly and the statues begin filling, the experience justifies the setup.
The RTP, Payout, and Volatility of Valley of the Gods Slot Game
The Valley of the Gods slot review numbers start with an RTP of 96.2%, which sits at the online slot industry average of around 96%. This is a straightforward figure for a medium-volatility game and indicates fair long-run theoretical value. RTP is a statistical estimate calculated across millions of spins. It tells you what the game is designed to return over a very long time. It does not tell you what any single session will produce.
On the paytable the Ra and Set symbols are the top-paying premiums, followed by Tutankhamun and Sekhmet. Hieroglyph symbols fill the lower end of the table. Wins form when three or more matching symbols appear on adjacent reels from left to right. With the grid starting at 45 ways and expanding to 3,125, the Valley of the Gods online slot produces wins more frequently as the blocker clearing progresses. Early paid spins with 45 ways active are significantly harder to hit than late-stage respins with a full 3,125-way grid. The maximum win of 5,800x is achievable through a full grid expansion combined with an elevated win multiplier from the Horus statue mechanic.
| Slot Name | Valley of the Gods |
|---|---|
| Game Provider | Yggdrasil Gaming |
| RTP | 96.20% |
| Volatility | Medium |
| Paylines | 3125 |
| Bonus Buy | No |
| Progressive Jackpot | No |
Volatility in a slot describes how wins are distributed. Low-volatility games pay small amounts often. High-volatility games pay larger amounts less often. Valley of the Gods sits in the medium category, which might surprise players who expect Egyptian-themed slots to be high-volatility. The medium rating reflects the fact that the respin system delivers frequent small wins during productive chains, which keeps the session active and balances out the cost of paid spins that reset the grid after a losing outcome.
In practice the volatility in Valley of the Gods feels slightly higher than the medium label suggests because the value of any given session concentrates in the extended chain sequences. A paid spin that triggers one win then resets delivers very little. A paid spin that triggers a chain clearing half the blockers while the statues fill and the multiplier climbs delivers a lot. The swing between those two outcomes is what gives the game its variance feel, even within the medium classification.
Valley of the Gods Bonuses and Special Features
Valley of the Gods online slot bonuses are entirely built around the respin and blocker clearing system rather than traditional scatter-triggered bonus rounds. The game has no wilds, no free spins feature button, and no pick-em bonus. Instead the Horus statue tracks blue scarabs for win multipliers and the Anubis statue tracks red scarabs for extra lives. These two mechanics combine with the expanding grid to create the game’s bonus structure. Valley of the Gods slot game features are unique to Yggdrasil’s design approach during this period. Similar progression-based mechanics appear in Yggdrasil’s own Vikings Go to Hell and Tut’s Twister, but the pure respin-driven blocker clearing is specific to the Valley of the Gods series.
Respin and Blocker Clearing System
The respin system is the core mechanic of the Valley of the Gods slot review experience and it replaces everything a traditional slot delivers through bonus rounds. Every paid spin that produces a winning combination automatically awards a free respin. During that respin the winning symbols on the grid turn into golden scarabs and clear their blocker positions, expanding the active grid by the number of positions cleared. The process repeats for every respin that produces a new winning combination. The chain continues until a respin produces no new win, at which point the feature ends and a new paid spin is required.
The grid starts each paid spin with 12 blockers covering the corner positions of the five-by-five layout, leaving 13 active positions and 45 ways to win. As blockers clear the grid grows. A full grid clear removes all 12 blockers, opens all 25 positions and creates 3,125 ways to win simultaneously. A full clear also activates a permanent 2x win multiplier for all wins in that chain. The combination of 3,125 ways and a 2x multiplier is where Valley of the Gods on the Valley of the Gods online slot produces its most valuable outcomes.
Horus Statue and Win Multiplier
The Horus statue on the left side of the grid tracks blue scarabs collected during respin sequences. Five blue scarabs fill the Horus meter and add one to the active win multiplier. The multiplier starts at 1x and increases by one for each meter fill. There is no announced cap on the multiplier though practical session lengths limit how high it reaches in reality. The multiplier applies to all wins during the active chain sequence.
Collecting enough blue scarabs to push the multiplier to meaningful levels requires extended chain sequences where wins keep landing across an expanding grid. In testing, reaching a 2x or 3x multiplier alongside a partially cleared grid is achievable in productive sessions. Higher multipliers require longer chains and represent the best-case scenario outcomes that produce the game’s largest payouts. Features on Valley of the Gods online slot are designed so every part of a good sequence compounds on every other part.
Anubis Statue and Extra Lives
The Anubis statue on the right side of the grid tracks red scarabs collected during respin sequences. Five red scarabs fill the Anubis meter and award one extra life. An extra life functions as a safety net: when a respin produces no winning combination, instead of ending the chain the extra life absorbs the loss and the respin continues. This allows the grid and multiplier progress to carry over through a losing respin rather than resetting completely.
Extra lives are among the most valuable assets in the Valley of the Gods online slot because they protect the accumulated grid and multiplier progress during a chain. A single extra life protecting a near-complete grid with a 3x multiplier active is far more valuable than a life protecting a half-cleared grid with no multiplier. In the Tombstone slot review the xNudge mechanic plays a similar protective role during free spins by extending win coverage. In Valley of the Gods the extra life plays a more active preservation role during the respin chain itself.
How to Play Valley of the Gods
Valley of the Gods plays very differently from most online slots so understanding the blocker and respin system before spinning real money is genuinely important. There are no scatters to count or bonus rounds to trigger manually. Everything flows from one mechanic. Here is how it works in practice.
- 1
Set your bet and understand the starting grid
Valley of the Gods accepts bets from $0.10 to $100.00 per spin. The grid starts each paid spin with 12 blocker positions covered by golden scarab symbols, leaving 45 active ways to win. Use the bet controls to choose your stake. There are no payline adjustments because all available ways to win are always active. The number of ways available changes as blockers clear during respin sequences. - 2
Spin and watch for winning combinations
Hit spin and watch the five-reel, five-row grid. Winning combinations form when three or more matching symbols appear on adjacent reels from left to right. When a win lands, the winning symbols turn into golden scarabs, clear their blocker positions and trigger a free respin. The grid expands with each win as new positions open up. - 3
Let the respin chain run without paying
Every winning respin is free. You only pay for a new spin when the previous chain ends with no winning combination. During a chain the grid grows with each win cleared. Watch both statues on either side of the reels as blue scarabs fill the Horus meter for a win multiplier and red scarabs fill the Anubis meter for extra lives. Both fill through winning combinations during the chain. - 4
Use extra lives to protect your chain progress
When five red scarabs fill the Anubis meter you earn one extra life. If a respin produces no winning combination instead of ending the chain the extra life absorbs the loss and the respin continues. This allows you to carry over all grid progress and the current win multiplier through a non-winning respin. Extra lives are the most valuable mechanic in the game for preserving a productive chain. - 5
Aim for a full grid clear
Clearing all 12 blocker positions opens the full 3,125-way grid and activates a permanent 2x win multiplier for the remainder of that chain. Combined with any additional multiplier built through the Horus meter the full grid clear is where Valley of the Gods produces its highest outcomes. A chain that reaches a full clear with an elevated win multiplier and extra lives protecting it is the best-case session scenario the game offers.
Valley of the Gods Online Slot: Pros and Cons
Valley of the Gods is one of the most genuinely original slot designs Yggdrasil Gaming has produced and its longevity since 2017 reflects that. The respin chain mechanic with expanding grid, win multipliers and extra lives creates a session structure that no scatter-triggered free spins game replicates. The 96.2% RTP is at the industry average, the 5,800x maximum win is solid for a medium-volatility release, and the Ancient Egyptian theme is executed with Yggdrasil’s characteristic visual quality. The downsides are the paid spins that reset the grid after a chain ends, which can feel expensive, and the absence of any traditional bonus feature which means players who prefer scatter-triggered free spins will not find what they are looking for here.
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Respin chain mechanic with expanding grid creates genuine session momentum that traditional scatter-triggered free spins cannot match. - Extra lives and win multiplier system compound with grid expansion to create well-structured progressive reward mechanics.
- No wilds or scatters means the entire game is driven by the respin system, which creates a consistent and understandable session structure.
- Full grid clear activating 3,125 ways and a 2x multiplier is one of the most satisfying achievable goals in medium-volatility Egyptian slots.
- Yggdrasil production quality delivers an Egyptian theme with genuine visual and audio polish that sets it above most competing releases from the same period.
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Paid spins that reset the grid after a chain ends can feel expensive, particularly after a long productive chain has been building. - Absence of traditional bonus features means players who prefer scatter-triggered free spins will find the game structure unfamiliar and potentially frustrating.
- Medium volatility can feel slightly swingy between sessions despite the classification, because all value concentrates in extended chain sequences.
Valley of the Gods Final Thoughts
Valley of the Gods is a genuinely inventive slot that earns its place in Yggdrasil’s catalogue as one of their most mechanically distinctive releases. The blocker clearing respin system delivers session momentum that standard free spins cannot match when a chain gets going. The Horus and Anubis statues add compounding value to every productive sequence, and the full grid clear with a 2x multiplier is one of the more satisfying achievable goals in any medium-volatility Egyptian slot.
We recommend Valley of the Gods to players who want something fundamentally different from the Book-style expanding symbol format that dominates the Egyptian slot category. It suits players who enjoy progression mechanics, who can handle the cost of paid spins that reset the chain, and who find the respin structure more engaging than waiting for a scatter count to reach three. The demo is strongly recommended before playing for real money because the mechanic needs to be experienced before it clicks. If you enjoy the original, Valley of the Gods 2 from Yggdrasil refines the system with a pyramid-shaped reel structure and additional modifier mechanics.
FAQ
What is the RTP of Valley of the Gods?
Valley of the Gods has an RTP of 96.2%, which sits at the online slot industry average of around 96%. This is the standard figure for the Yggdrasil Gaming release. Always check the paytable at your chosen casino to confirm which version is active before playing with real money.
How does the respin system work in Valley of the Gods?
Every paid spin that produces a winning combination automatically triggers a free respin. During the respin winning symbols turn into golden scarabs and clear the blocker positions covering parts of the grid, expanding the active playing field. The chain continues as long as each respin produces a new win. When a respin produces no winning combination the chain ends and a new paid spin is required to start the process again.
What is the maximum win in Valley of the Gods?
The maximum win in Valley of the Gods is 5,800x your total stake. This is achievable through a full grid clear that opens all 3,125 ways to win combined with an elevated win multiplier from the Horus statue mechanic and an extended respin chain. At the maximum bet of $100 per spin the 5,800x payout equals $580,000.
Does Valley of the Gods have free spins?
Valley of the Gods does not have a traditional free spins feature triggered by scatter symbols. The respin system functions as the game’s equivalent of a free spins round because every winning respin during a chain is free of charge. Once the full grid is cleared with 3,125 ways active and the 2x multiplier running the experience is comparable to a free spins bonus in terms of win potential.
What are the Horus and Anubis statues for?
The Horus statue on the left tracks blue scarabs collected during respin chains. Every five blue scarabs add one to the active win multiplier. The Anubis statue on the right tracks red scarabs. Every five red scarabs award one extra life that can absorb a non-winning respin and allow the chain to continue without resetting. Both statues fill through winning combinations during chain sequences.
Is Valley of the Gods available on mobile?
Yes. Valley of the Gods is built in HTML5 and runs on iOS and Android devices without any download required. The five-by-five grid with its blocker system scales well to mobile screens and all controls function correctly on touchscreens. The game performance and feature mechanics are identical on mobile and desktop.
If you enjoy the respin progression system of Valley of the Gods, a few related titles are worth exploring. Valley of the Gods 2 from Yggdrasil Gaming is the direct sequel with a pyramid-shaped expanding reel structure and a 5,481x maximum win. Tut’s Twister from Yggdrasil uses a different progression mechanic within the same Egyptian series. For respin-based mechanics in other themes, Viking Runecraft from Play’n GO applies a similar charge-to-clear-the-grid approach to Norse mythology. Here are some other titles our readers also enjoy.
