Book of Darkness is the latest online pokie from the designers at BetSoft. It has five reels, 10 fixed paylines, and a fantasy theme. For more details, please see the following review.

Return to Player

Also known as “RTP,” this is a percentage that expresses the long-term payback of a particular poker machine. For example, over thousands of spins, a pokie with an RTP of 95% will pay $95 for every $100 wagered.

Book of Darkness has an RTP of 96.48%. This is slightly better than the average virtual pokie, which is certainly a reason to recommend it.

Where to Find Book of Darkness

In order to enjoy this game, you’ll need to find an online casino that offers pokies from BetSoft. In the case of Australian punters, some of the options include PlayAmo, Casino Chan, Johnny Kash, and Pokies Parlour.

Available Wagers

There are 11 betting options in this game, and they range from $0.10 to $10 per spin. While this range is fine for low rollers, those who prefer larger wagers should look elsewhere.

Book of Darkness Paytable

This section looks at the game’s various symbols and their accompanying payouts. Cash prizes change to reflect the player’s wager, so bigger risks often lead to larger rewards. In the examples below, let’s assume the maximum wager of $10 per spin.

  • Ace, King and Queen – These poker symbols are worth $2 for three matches, $10 for four, and $50 for five.
  • Dagger and Potion – Whether it’s the ceremonial dagger or the purple potion, both of these symbols are worth $2 for three matches, $30 for four, and $80 for five.
  • Ring and Crystals – The enchanted ring and red crystals both pay $2 for two matches, $10 for three, $50 for four, and $150 for five.
  • Huntress and Dark Wizard – These characters are each worth $10 for two matches, $20 for three, $100 for four, and $250 for five.
  • Book of Darkness – This ancient magical tome pays $2 for three matches, $20 for four, and $200 for five. Not only is the book wild, but it also acts as a scatter and awards free spins and a payout. Three book icons are worth 10 free spins, while five books award the maximum of 20 free spins.

Free Spins

When at least three Book of Darkness symbols appear on the screen, the player wins from 10 to 20 free spins. During the bonus spins, a symbol other than the book will be randomly selected. When this icon appears on three or more reels, it will expand vertically.

Virtual reels for Book of Darkness poker machine

The Clash for Power

In order to trigger this phase of the game, you’ll need to get one of the following two combinations of symbols in a straight line on the reels:

  • Option 1 – Huntress, Book of Darkness, Dark Wizard
  • Option 2 – Dark Wizard, Book of Darkness, Huntress

Then, the Clash for Power begins, and players are awarded free spins. Just prior to the battle, the player is asked to predict the upcoming winner of the contest.

During the showdown, the heroes expand on the reels and fill up their hero meter. The winner is the first character to fill their hero meter and obtain the Book of Darkness.

Shadowform

If you successfully picked the winner of the Clash for Power, then there’s still one more bonus segment to go. This is known as “Shadowform,” and it includes the following:

  • When you successfully pick the Huntress to win, you get 10 free spins with a 5x multiplier on winnings.
  • If you correctly pick the Dark Wizard to win, you’ll get 10 free spins with five expanding symbols.

Final Thoughts

Book of Darkness has an above-average RTP, so that’s certainly a reason to try it. The bonus rounds are also unique, with one round building to the next.

It’s a minor complaint, but I do wish the theme of the game was more fleshed out. Yes, we know that two characters are fighting over a mystical tome, but I would’ve preferred some additional backstory.

Additional Reading

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