Hacksaw Gaming’s latest release, Hounds of Hell, transports players to a chilling underworld where monstrous hounds and eerie landscapes set the stage for high-stakes gameplay. Packed with Pay Anywhere mechanics, cascading symbols, and powerful multipliers, this highly volatile slot provides an engaging experience with the potential to win up to 20,000x the bet.
Set against a backdrop of fiery reds in the base game and icy blues during bonus rounds, Hounds of Hell draws inspiration from Dante’s Divine Comedy, particularly the frozen ninth circle of hell. The game’s 5×5 grid allows for scatter pays, meaning winning combinations form when six or more identical symbols appear anywhere on the reels. Wins trigger a cascade effect, removing winning symbols and allowing new ones to drop in, potentially chaining multiple wins in a single spin.
The game comes with multiple RTP configurations, the highest being 96.27%, though versions with 94.16%, 92.26%, and 88.14% RTP exist to cater to different markets. Betting options range from €0.10 to €100 per spin, appealing to both casual players and high rollers.
Hellhound Symbols and Roaring Packs
A central mechanic in Hounds of Hell is the Hellhound symbol, which acts as a spreading multiplier. When a Hellhound appears, it moves to the top of its reel, revealing a multiplier value. These multipliers are collected from bottom to top and left to right before being applied to the player’s total bet. Two types of multipliers can appear:
- Adding Multipliers – Increase the reel’s multiplier by 1x to 50x
- Multiplying Multipliers – Multiply the reel’s existing multiplier by x2 to x10
Only one Hellhound symbol can land per reel at a time. However, when two or more Hellhound symbols land on adjacent reels within the same row, they create a Roaring Pack, boosting their multiplier values significantly. Even if cascading symbols separate them, they remain part of the pack. The multipliers in a Roaring Pack can reach up to 100x in added values and x20 in multiplied values, increasing the potential for massive payouts.
Special Features and Bonus Rounds
Beyond its base mechanics, Hounds of Hell includes several unique features designed to amplify winning potential:
Hounds Are Loose – This randomly triggered feature activates when a spin results in no new wins. It removes all low-paying symbols (10 to Ace), making room for new symbols to cascade in. This effect can trigger multiple times in a single spin, with an increased chance of Hellhound symbols landing among the new drops.
What the Hell! Bonus Round – Triggered by landing three FS scatter symbols, this feature begins with 10 free spins. Unlike the base game, collected Hellhound multipliers remain above the reels throughout the bonus round, progressively increasing and applying at the end.
- If a spin produces three consecutive non-winning rounds, Hounds Are Loose is guaranteed to activate.
- Additional FS symbols provide extra free spins: +2 for two FS symbols and +4 for three FS symbols.
Who Let the Hounds Out?!? Bonus Round – Activated by landing four FS scatter symbols, this round also awards 10 free spins but introduces Hell Reels, enhancing gameplay further.
- A Hell Reel activates when a Hellhound lands on a reel for the first time, guaranteeing a Hellhound symbol on every subsequent free spin.
- Unlike What the Hell!, multipliers reset between spins, but players benefit from guaranteed multiplier payouts on each spin.
- Extra free spins can be won by landing two FS symbols (+2 spins) or three FS symbols (+4 spins).
Bonus Gamble and Buy Features
Before entering a bonus round, players can choose to gamble their free spins. The Bonus Gamble allows players to select up to three Hellfire Orbs, which may reveal 2 to 10 extra spins or a Bonus Upgrade, instantly moving them from What the Hell! to Who Let the Hounds Out?!?.
For those looking to enter bonus rounds instantly, Hacksaw Gaming includes a Buy Bonus option:
- 3x the bet – Increases the chance of triggering a bonus by five times.
- 60x the bet – Guarantees at least three Hellhound symbols.
- 100x the bet – Grants immediate access to What the Hell! bonus mode.
- 250x the bet – Grants direct entry to Who Let the Hounds Out?!? bonus mode.
High Volatility, High Rewards
With its scatter pays format, cascading mechanics, and spreading multipliers, Hounds of Hell delivers a thrilling, high-stakes experience. The 20,000x max win potential makes it one of Hacksaw Gaming’s most rewarding slots to date, placing it above previous titles like Marlin Masters (7,500x max win) and Wings of Horus (15,000x max win).
Despite its lack of wild symbols, the game compensates with engaging features, immersive design, and multiple ways to trigger big payouts. Whether through the Hellhound multipliers, Roaring Packs, or unique bonus rounds, players can expect an intense, fast-paced adventure deep into the infernal abyss.