Eldritch Dungeon

Once upon a time, in a world much simpler than now, the humble slot machine generally stuck to the rule of 3; 3 reels, 3 rows and 3 pay lines, maybe with a good old fashioned nudge and hold feature thrown in for good measure.  It was basic but it was fun and players were more than happy to spin the day away just waiting for the 3 top symbols to line up, sending them home with their pockets full and their heads held high.  But then something changed…cries of “more” began echoing throughout arcades across the land, as the demand for more features and innovative gaming mechanics became more apparent.  Those cries were most certainly heard and, fast forward a few decades, we truly have reached the new age of slots with providers of all levels in one constant battle to keep one step ahead of the game.  One of those providers is Print Studios, who have stepped up and placed all cards on the table as they release the exciting and immersive Eldritch Dungeon; a cluster pay-turned RPG-style game with more features than an Eminem album.

Entering the game screen, it is clear to all that this is no run of the mill slot.  You are faced with an 8×8 gaming grid full of carved symbols and crystals and an assortment of characters ready to do battle with the foes that await in the shadows.  The game grid itself takes the form of a dungeon chamber floor, marking a pathway across to a dimly-lit door on the far right.  To the left of the grid are 3 unlockable companions, ready to assist you on your quest for glory and to the right are the Spectral Effect features; all of which we will get into more shortly.

Print have really chosen to bring a gun to a knife fight with Eldritch Dungeon, offering 2 bonus rounds, in-game battles in RPG “Dungeons and Dragons” style form, a High Volatility rating and maximum win potential of an impressive 20,000x bet.  Put that all together, along with a generous RTP of 96.10% and we could have a real contender on our hands when released to Casinos on 31st July 2024.

Let’s step foot into the Dungeon Realm to see what lies in waiting…

Eldritch Dungeon Base Game play

Base Game and Features

Played on an 8×8 game grid, win spins are formed by landing clusters of 5 or more same symbols, horizontally or vertically adjacent.  After a winning connection, the symbols involved fall from the grid and the spaces are filled with new ones in a tumble-style mechanic. 

There are 8 regular paying symbols to look out for; low paying stone-carved symbols paying out between 0.20x to 20x for 5 to 15+ clusters and high paying purple, blue, green and red gems paying out between 1x to 1,000x for 5 to 15+ clusters.

Wild Symbols are present in the game and substitute for all regular symbols, other than the Wild Warrior.

Wild Warrior

At the start of each spin, the Wild Warrior symbol appears in a random position on reel 1 and an Exit appears in a random position on reel 8.  The Wild Warrior substitutes for all other symbols on the game grid.  Removing symbols adjacent to the Wild Warrior allows him to move along the cleared pathway, towards the Exit.

Companions

There are 3 Companions to chose from to assist with the quest and can be switched before each spin.  Only the Arcanist is available at the beginning of a new game and the Ranger and Mauler Companions must be unlocked during game play.  Each Companion boasts their own stats and abilities and can help you play in different ways.

Advance across the grid, fighting enemies along the way to gain features to help with your quest

Companion Strike and Dungeon Battle Attack

All 3 Companions have their own feature, known as a Companion Strike.  Each Companion Strike feature will affect the game differently so make sure to choose wisely as you unlock more Companions during play.  Each Companion also has their own Dungeon Battle Attack with ranging volatility and preferred enemies:

Arcanist – Transforms 11 to 16 random symbols to the same matching type and removes adjacent symbols above and below.  Instantly defeats a single enemy with the preferred enemy being the Gnaw Brute. (4/5 Volatility)

Ranger – Transforms one line of 8 symbols to the same matching symbol and removes all adjacent symbols above and below.  Deals damage to a single enemy with the preferred enemy being Wraiths. (3/5 Volatility)

Mauler – Transforms 2 random areas on the grid to 2×2 matching symbols and removes all surrounding symbols thereafter.  Deals damage to all enemies with the preferred enemy being Elderkin. (5/5 Volatility)

Power Relics

With each spin, there are 4 enemies placed at random within the game grid that will be revealed should a cluster be formed on top of them.  Defeating an enemy will award a Power Relic that is used to enhance the Warrior’s abilities during the Dungeon Battle:

Relic of Vitality – Increases health

Relic of Strength – Allows attacks to deal more damage to enemies

Relic of Fury – Some attacks will deal significant damage

Relic of Protection – Allows some enemy attacks to be blocked

Battle enemies in the Dungeon Battle Bonus

Spectral Effects

As your warrior advances across the game grid, it is possible to reveal any of the following 4 Spectral Effects to help along the way:

Nightwing – Transforms 10 randoms symbols to the same matching symbol

Elderwing – Transforms 19 randoms symbols to the same matching symbol

Nightfang – 4 Wilds will be added to random grid positions

Elderfang – 10 Wilds will be added to random grid positions

Dungeon Battle Bonus

Advancing the Wild Warrior to the exit position on reel 8 will trigger the Dungeon Battle Bonus.

You will be faced with a daunting 9 battles to fight your way through, the 9th being the most precarious.  In battles 1 to 8, the warrior and chosen companion will be faced with 1 out of 3 enemy types, each having their own difficulty rating.  Defeating and enemy of level 1, 2 or 3 will result the award of 2, 4 or 6 Spectral Keys respectively.

A Spectral Key unlocks one position in the Treasure Hall Spins Feature.

2 Portal Shards are available with each bonus and allows a defeated warrior to progress to the next battle regardless.

The Power Relics that were collected during the Base Game will increase the chances of winning each battle.  If all 4 Relics were not collected during base game play, there is a chance they may be revealed as an award for winning a battle.

During the 9th battle, the Warrior will face “The Old One” on his own and, should he be defeated, all grid positions will be unlocked during Treasure hall Spins.  Furthermore, a 4×4 coin shall be placed in the centre of the grid and a 2x multiplier will be applied to the largest coin at the end of the free spins.

The Dungeon battle Bonus will end after losing 3 battles or upon battling “The Old One”.

Your final fight is against “The Old One” where a victory will enhance the Treasure Hall Spins

Treasure Hall Spins

Treasure Hall Spins begin immediately after the Dungeon Battle Bonus, playing out on an 8×8 grid with 6 unlocked positions in the centre.  Every Spectral Key that was collected during the previous battles will unlock 1 additional position.  Landing a Spectral key symbol from here on out shall unlock 2, 3 or 6 additional positions.

The Treasure Hall Spins award 3 spins with the counter resetting after landing a Coin symbol or Spectral Key symbol.  When a Coin symbol lands, it will merge into the largest possible square size allowed by the grid.

The Treasure Hall Spins will end after 3 consecutive spins whereby neither a Coin or Spectral key symbol has landed.  Each coin will pay its respective shown value.

Coin values vary and are dependent upon the size of the landed Coin symbol.  The larger the Coin, the larger the value can be.  Values can range from 0.5x through to a staggering 10,000x.

Pros and Cons of Eldritch dungeon

• Inventive game features and mechanics
• 20,000x maximum win potential
• Immersive game play
• 2 consecutive Bonus rounds
• Complex to understand at first
• Base Game spins can take a long time to play out

Similar Games to Eldritch Dungeon

• Shinobi Spirit
• Tarasque
• Out of the Ice
• Reapers

Become the master of the dungeon with the Treasure Hall Spins feature

First Impression

When it comes to new slot games, first glances certainly count.  Does it look fresh?  Does it feel exciting?  Can you see potential?  Does it look complicated?  In the case of Eldritch Dungeon, the answer to all of these questions is, simply, yes!  For those that like basic and simple gameplay mechanics, don’t switch of just yet.  Even to a seasoned-slotter this one can feel intimidating at first look.  There are pages and pages of instructions, heaps and heaps of features to get your head around and plenty of characters to meet and get acquainted to on your way to unlocking this games true potential.  However, all that to one side, if you put in a little bit of time and patience (and I would certainly recommend doing so!) what you will be left with is a truly unique experience that you will enjoy immersing yourself in to become the real Master of the Dungeon.

Print Studios have come in hot with Eldritch Dungeon, there is simply no doubt about it.  Not only have they crammed a game full of exciting and versatile features, RPG-style battle modes and 2 back-to-back bonus rounds, they have not brushed over the visual graphics and sound tracks at an expense.  The way the battles play out during the Dungeon Battle Bonus makes you feel you’re actually achieving something.  Being awarded Spectral Keys is of great value to take through to the Treasure Hall Spins and a great touch is starting each bonus with 2 Portal Shards so you know the Bonus isn’t going to be a complete slump if all goes wrong.

Print Studios know how to produce a feature-rich grid game, Tarasque and Reapers being 2 of them.  We have also seen their games with a “progressive path” being made to get the bonus such as the notoriously successful Out of the Ice.  Cash Defense was then thrown into the mix with its inventive battle-esque bonus round.  Eldritch Dungeon is, quite frankly, a best of creation and it really has worked well.  I particularly enjoy the fact that you get 2 bonuses in one.  Providers have historically given the player the chance to upgrade a bonus within a bonus, which is great, but guaranteeing it is a fine touch.

There is certainly enough within Eldritch Dungeon to immerse you to the point where you just need to see more…unlock more…learn more and that’s exactly what a great game should do.  An on-par RTP and max win potential of 20,000x only sweetens the deal in this instance.  I for one am very excited about this release and it is certainly one dungeon I will be happy to be locked in for eternity!

*The screenshots taken of games reviewed on this site are taken from Demo Play, as reviews are often written before games are released for real play.