This slot by Play’n GO sticks to its theme and keeps its promise from the start: a classic Egyptian-tomb setting, a straightforward reel setup, and a free spins round that is the core feature. Spins move at a steady pace, paylines are fixed, and the base game is easy to read at a glance. Where things get more interesting is when the bonus round kicks in and the expanding symbol mechanic starts doing its thing. Spend a little time with the game and a clear pattern shows up. If you like online slots that keep the rules familiar but still have a feature you can actually follow and understand, Secret of Dead sits comfortably in that lane.
The game’s setting is a torch-lit tomb framed by tall columns and stone walls carved with hieroglyphs. Reels sit in the centre like a display case, while the background stays calm and consistent so your eyes naturally stay on the symbols. Colours lean towards deep blues and sandy golds, which fits the theme well. Animations appear only when they need to, not constantly. A win lights up cleanly, bonus messages appear on parchment-style scrolls, and expanding symbols glow as they fill. Symbols are easy to distinguish, too. The Cleopatra and the animal icons feel like proper feature symbols rather than generic decorations. Even the card symbols look adorned perfectly to match the tomb theme. Overall, the Egyptian theme is presented nicely, with sharp symbols and simple graphics.
Payouts below are shown as multiplier values that apply to the total bet.
Symbol | 2 Matches | 3 Matches | 4 Matches | 5 Matches | 6 Matches |
Ankh Wild Scatter | 20x | 100x | 500x | 2000x | 5000x |
Cleopatra | 20x | 100x | 500x | 2000x | 5000x |
Cat | 10x | 40x | 200x | 800x | 2000x |
Scarab | 5x | 20x | 100x | 400x | 1000x |
Cobra | 5x | 20x | 100x | 400x | 1000x |
A | n/a | 5x | 20x | 100x | 250x |
K | n/a | 4x | 15x | 75x | 200x |
Q | n/a | 4x | 15x | 75x | 200x |
J | n/a | 4x | 15x | 75x | 200x |
10 | n/a | 4x | 15x | 75x | 200x |
The Ankh is the key symbol to watch, it acts as a Wild, since it can substitute for other regular symbols, and also triggers the bonus and acts as a Scatter.
The Ankh substitutes for other symbols to help complete payline wins, except when it comes to the special expanding symbol selection. It also acts as the Scatter and pays anywhere on the reels, with Scatter wins added to payline wins.
Three or more Scatters trigger the free spins feature. The bonus round can extend, since landing three or more Scatters during free spins awards additional spins.
Before free spins begin, one symbol is randomly chosen as the special expanding symbol. When it lands during free spins, it expands to cover the entire reel, which can make a big difference on a 10-line setup where full reels can connect across several paylines at once.
Retriggering free spins adds another expanding symbol to the set. This can continue until up to nine expanding symbols are active, so the feature can grow from a single focus symbol into something much more varied as the round develops.
Secret of Dead runs on 6 reels with 3 rows and 10 fixed paylines. Wins pay left to right on adjacent reels, starting from the leftmost reel. Only the highest win per payline is paid. Scatter wins are handled separately and pay anywhere. The base game stays traditional with no cascading reels or changing reel heights, so the main change of pace comes from entering free spins.
Secret of Dead earns its reputation by keeping the experience focused. The base game is calm and readable. However, once free spins land, the expanding symbol mechanic gives the session a clear point of interest, and it is simple to understand why certain spins suddenly look more promising than others. Retriggers are where the bonus round can start feeling properly layered, since extra expanding symbols add variety instead of repeating the same pattern. Players who want constant feature triggers in the base game may find it a little quiet at times. For everyone else, it is a solid pick when you want a traditional layout, a strong theme, and a bonus round that can build some momentum.