Warlords - Crystals of Power slot review

Warlords - Crystals of Power is set on the war-torn battlefield between different medieval despots. A slot soaked in violence, wilds, multipliers and free spins.

This slot was made by NetEnt and released in 2016 with great fanfare. With awesome graphics, a load of animations, an entire scala of features and even a booming soundtrack the game brings its best to the forefront. The 5-reel, 3-row playing field has 30 paylines and operates much like classic slots do.

Warlords is filled with unique art that creates an entire world of war and conflict. The symbols are all original and when they’re part of a winning payline they have their own animations. The background meanwhile shows a torn battlefield filled with weary soldiers.

Entering a free spins mode replaces the background, showing us in different locations depending on which free spins mode we activated. Other random occurrences that can happen during the game are introduced with different animations before they translate into game features. It was all a very good way to get me invested in the slot.

The soundtrack is what you’d expect from a game set during medieval wars with a lot of drums and bombastic sounds. Wins are celebrated with triumphant music. I thought it was a great addition to the slot and its atmosphere, making it feel like I was overlooking an actual battlefield.

Symbols

The symbols in Warlords - Crystals of Power are all original and created specifically for this game. They are drawn in a realistic style and when they’re on a winning payline they come to life. Especially the stacked symbols look awesome with how they start to move, showing off the 3 main characters in all their glory.

From highest to lowest they are:

• Banner (Scatter): There are 3 types of Scatter Symbols. 2 Scatters will offer a re-spin. With 2 different Scatter symbols, it starts the Battle. With 3 the same Scatter Symbols it starts Free Spins mode.
• Tricolour (Wild): The Tricolor substitutes all other symbols in the game except the Scatter Symbols. Max. 300 coins with five-of-a-kind on a winning payline.
• Samurai: Max. 300 coins with five-of-a-kind on a winning payline.
• Priestess: Max. 200 coins with five-of-a-kind on a winning payline.
• Barbarian: Max. 150 coins with five-of-a-kind on a winning payline.
• Wolf: Max. 120 coins with five-of-a-kind on a winning payline.
• Panther: Max. 90 coins with five-of-a-kind on a winning payline.
• Boar: Max. 75 coins with five-of-a-kind on a winning payline.
• Samurai Mask: Max. 60 coins with five-of-a-kind on a winning payline.
• Priestess Mask: Max. 50 coins with five-of-a-kind on a winning payline.
• Barbarian Helmet: Max. 40 coins with five-of-a-kind on a winning payline.

All the symbols are beautiful, with the Samurai, Priestess and Barbarian symbols being stacked symbols.

Features

Warlords - Crystals of Power is an ambitious slot in every way which means it has a load of different features as well. The game can be quite overwhelming at times because there are features that are overlapping each other, or come in different variations.

The features are:

• Wilds: Wilds are added to the reels to substitute all other symbols except the Scatter Symbols. They also have their own value when part of a winning payline.
• Random Overlay Wild: Sometimes Wilds can be added in different patterns, either a 2x2 square, a vertical line or a random pattern.
• Battle: There are 3 types of Scatter Symbols. When there are 2 Scatter Symbols on the screen of 2 different types this starts a Battle. This triggers Re-spins which might add another Scatter symbol.
• Re-Spins: When you get at least 2 Scatter Symbols you will be awarded a Re-spin. The Re-spin may add another Scatter to the reels and trigger the Free Spins.
• Free Spins: With 3 of the same Scatter Symbols the Free Spins mode begins. Since there are 3 different Scatter Symbols there are 3 different Free Spins modes.
• Sticky Wilds: During Samurai Free Spins, Scatter Symbols become a Sticky Wild for the rest of the free spins. This mode starts with 5 free spins.
• Multipliers: During Priestess Free Spins, additional Scatter Symbols will add a 1x multiplier to each win. This mode starts with 7 free spins.
• Extra Free Spins: During Barbarian Free Spins, the reels only have warrior and animal symbols. Additional Scatter Symbols will add 3 free spins. This mode starts with 9 free spins.

Most of the features are made up of familiar ideas like wilds and re-spins, but they are implemented in different ways that make them a little strange to understand. All in all, the features work well together but it might take some people a while to grasp them. I thought they offered enough interesting changes to the basic gameplay to stay relevant.

The main features are the Scatter Symbols. Each warrior gets their own symbol. When 2 appear of 2 different warriors it triggers the Battle mode. The battle will turn all the Scatters into the same type and you'll get a re-spin. The re-spin is simply intended to get a third Scatter Symbol. If that happens, it starts the respective Free Spins mode.

The different Free Spins mode each have their own style. The differences are big enough to make sense while they don’t completely reinvent the game either. My favourites were the Samurai Free Spins since the Sticky Wilds helped a lot in getting big wins.

In Conclusion

Warlords - Crystals of Power is a game that demonstrates the skill and dedication NetEnt can bring to bear when they really invest in a slot. The game has a staggering amount of detail to it, from the symbols and their animations to the background and the soundtrack. The different features have their own special screens and the free spins modes come with their own background.

I love seeing games like this, which work hard to create compelling scenery for their slots. Even though the gameplay stays close to the classic slot experience, it adds so much that it often feels like something more. If you’re a fan of something like that, I would recommend you try out Hugo 2 or Eye of the Kraken by Play ‘n GO too.

If there’s something negative to be said about this slot it’s probably the way they explain some of the features. There is a lot happening on the screen and the different types of Scatter Symbols can get quite confusing. It’s not that hard to understand but without any guidance, a lot of players might get confused.

Are you the type of player that enjoys big, impressive slots that nonetheless stay close to the classic slot gameplay, I can’t see how Warlords - Crystals of Power won’t satisfy your needs. With its Low Volatility and a max. win of 600x your bet you will be rewarded with a steady influx of smaller wins. The ability to choose a bet between £0.15 and £150 per spin can help change that up a little.