Call of the Valkyries

Few are as fierce and as mighty as the Valkyries of old. When the drums of war sound and Norse gods demand their tribute be paid in blood, men and women alike took to battle to preserve what they had in the frigid colds of the north, and to take what they needed from others. The most successful shield-maidens would receive the honour of becoming Valkyries – beautiful, pale creatures that serve the will of Gods, guide worthy warriors to their halls and prepare them for Ragnarok. It’s something completely different than what most of Europe had gone through at its heyday, but Call of the Valkyries by Playtech brings it closer to us.

The title offers a 5×3 playing field with 25 fixed paylines, and three varied special features. The first allows specific symbols to transform into Wilds, transforming a loss into a win. The second is activated by stacked Wilds appearing in certain positions, giving out free re-spins. And finally, collecting three bonus symbols activates a bonus game that gives you a shot at more wins and a multiplier.

Honestly, what Playtech proved with this title that just a few visual effects and the right backdrop can make a massive difference when it comes to visuals. Not accounting for any symbols, just one look is enough to draw your attention. The gentle way the snow falls in front of the reels, the snowy wasteland in the distance, slightly obscured by clouds, indicating you’re high up above the world. The re-spins feature has an interesting mechanic that has full-reel Wilds moving across the board, while the bonus game literally has a Valkyrie flying through the field, pilfering the loot of dead soldiers. But it’s not just the visuals that protect our heart from the frigid cold.

While your Valkyrie is busy rescuing soldiers from hellspawn, you main goal will be to save the contents of your wallet until you reach those various special features that Playtech’s release offers. If you’re the sort of player that adores chasing bonuses and big wins, the title will no doubt call to you. There are three of them, one activated randomly, while the other two require specific icons to appear in specific positions. It has just enough special features to keep things interesting, without overwhelming players with choice.

You can play Call of the Valkyries for as little as $0.25 up to $500 per spin. The promise of a 1,000x bet will no doubt draw in many, but in this medium volatility title, the jackpot is an exception, not the rule. The game offers a 96.53% RTP, sitting slightly above average for video slots.

While a lot of effort went into the visuals, the symbols themselves aren’t too spectacular. You have playing card symbols 10, J, Q, K and A drawn as runes inscribed on stone, a helmet, twin axes and a shield as warrior icons, and then a war horn and a mallet as higher paying symbols. The warrior symbols are important for the first feature, Touch of the Valkyries. After losing a spin during normal gameplay, the slot has a chance to turn all warrior icons Wild, transforming your loss into a win. Stacked Wild on the first or fifth reel or both reels will reward March of the Valkyries. Stacked Wild will start moving to the opposite side of the reel, shifting one reel to the left or right for each re-spin.

All warrior symbols that appear during this time become frozen in place and Wild for the duration of the feature, and if a single warrior symbol is transformed by two Valkyries, it also gives a 2x multiplier. Finally, Call of the Valkyries has you controlling a Valkyrie as she flies over the field of battle, looting the fallen warriors and avoiding demons. If you are caught by demons too many times, the bonus ends early – but if you manage to collect all the loot and reach Valhalla and each remaining life will reward a 2x multiplier to your total win, for a 4x multiplier in total.