Ancient Egypt has a habit of turning up in online slots, and Pilgrim of Dead is very aware of that. This Play’n GO release sits firmly in the familiar “of Dead” family, built around temples, tombs, and the idea of the afterlife as a long journey rather than a final destination. Sure, the structure is instantly recognisable, but the free spins round adds a sticky expanding symbol twist that changes how the bonus plays out.
Ancient Egypt does most of the heavy lifting, and Pilgrim of Dead knows it. The reels are inside a stone temple guarded by Anubis statues, all in cool blue light that suggests we’re in some underground chambers. The main character comes in the form of statues and Egyptian iconography rather than a roaming hero, which actually suits the game. Symbols are framed in gold and stone, with Pharaohs, scales, scarabs, and deities filling the grid. It’s close enough to Book of Dead to feel familiar, but not so close that it feels like a straight copy.
The paytable follows a classic structure, starting with card ranks and building toward premium Egyptian symbols. Payouts are shown in coins and apply when combinations land from the leftmost reel.
Symbol | Payouts for 3, 4, and 5 of a kind |
10 | 5x, 15x, 40x |
J | 5x, 15x, 40x |
Q | 5x, 15x, 40x |
K | 10x, 25x, 60x |
A | 10x, 25x, 60x |
Scarab | 5x, 15x, 50x, 125x |
Scales | 5x, 15x, 50x, 125x |
Anubis Statue | 5x, 30x, 100x, 250x |
Anubis | 5x, 50x, 200x, 1000x |
Pharaoh | 5x, 50x, 200x, 1000x |
The free spins begin when three or more Tomb symbols land anywhere on the reels, initially awarding five spins. Before the round starts, one regular symbol is randomly selected as the expanding symbol. Players can actually reject this first option, but the second selection is final.
During the free spins, if the chosen symbol lands on enough reels, it expands to cover the entire reel after line wins are paid. These expanded symbols then count on all paylines from any position.
The defining twist appears once expansions begin. The first expanding symbol on each reel becomes sticky after it resolves, shrinking back to a single position but remaining locked in place for the rest of the bonus. These sticky symbols can then expand again on later spins, allowing momentum to build across the round. Additional free spins can be added if Tomb symbols reappear, up to a capped total.
Pilgrim of Dead uses a five reel, three row grid with ten fixed paylines where the winning combinations must start from the leftmost reel and pay left to right. At least three low paying symbols or two premium symbols are needed to form a potential win, while scatter payouts are going to apply regardless of position. Regular line wins resolve first, followed by any expanding and sticky symbol effects during free spins.
If Pilgrim of Dead feels like you’ve been here before, that’s because it shares a lot of DNA with several well known titles from your online casinos. Here’s a few examples:
Pilgrim of Dead knows exactly what it is and doesn’t pretend otherwise. It borrows from a proven formula, then nudges it sideways with sticky expanding symbols. The ability to reject the first chosen symbol is a small decision, though it can feel ironic when the replacement isn’t an improvement. Visually, it plays it safe, but the atmosphere holds together well and never feels messy. Some players will still want the bonus to start with more breathing room, but if sticky symbols begin stacking, the experience could actually be satisfying.