Merlin’s Grimoire Slot Review
Play’n GO brings its signature blend of innovation and storytelling to the Arthurian Legends series with Merlin’s Grimoire, a high-volatility slot that combines classic book-style mechanics with a refreshing mechanic twist. Released in July 2022, this mystical fantasy game trades the claustrophobic tomb aesthetic for a lush, overgrown forest setting where the young wizard’s journey unfolds across every spin. The splitting symbols feature breathes genuine electricity into the base game, whilst the expanding wild mechanics during free spins unlock extraordinary win potential. For players seeking risk and reward with premium presentation, this dark horse delivers.
Base Game & Features
Merlin’s Grimoire operates on a 5×3 reel grid with 243 ways to win at base, though the real magic happens when the splitting reels activate. The base layout feels appropriately mystical without overwhelming the player, and the beautifully designed symbols–from the haunting Merlin character to the ornate Grimoire scatter–maintain visual coherence throughout gameplay. The game’s sound design deserves particular mention; the orchestral theme recalls a cinematic fantasy score, with rising strings and battle drums keeping tension throughout every session.
What sets Merlin’s Grimoire apart from typical book-style games is the Splitting Reels mechanic. During the base game, reels 2, 3, and 4 can randomly become Splitting Reels, doubling the number of paylines when they activate. This transforms your standard 243 ways into significantly expanded win mechanics, breathing life into spins that might otherwise feel stagnant. When multiple reels split simultaneously, the potential becomes immediately obvious–you’re no longer hunting passively for a bonus trigger, but actively watching for explosive base game wins.
Symbol Values and Win Mechanics
The symbol hierarchy follows the familiar book-style formula, with the Grimoire serving as both scatter and wild. Premium symbols include the young Merlin himself and ornate magical artefacts, whilst lower-paying symbols maintain thematic consistency. What matters more than individual symbol values is understanding how the splitting mechanic multiplies your winning combinations. Each reel that splits effectively doubles the payline count passing through it, creating compounding expansion when multiple reels activate. This is where the splitting reels feature proves its worth–even modest symbol combinations become legitimate wins during splitting activation.
Wild and Scatter Mechanics
The Grimoire symbol functions as the game’s primary scatter, triggering the bonus when you land 3, 4, or 5 scatters in any position. Beyond bonus activation, this symbol carries an immediate payout (0.8x, 1.6x, or 4x stake depending on scatter count), ensuring that finding three grimoires brings tangible reward even before the free spins begin. During the free spins round, one pay symbol is selected to become an expanding symbol, filling entire reels when it lands and creating additional winning paths. This expanding mechanic, combined with splitting symbols now available on all 5 reels during free spins (rather than just reels 2-4 in the base game), unlocks the game’s staggering maximum of 7,776 ways to win.
Merlin’s Grimoire Free Spins
Landing 3 or more Grimoire scatters triggers 10 free spins–a modest number on paper, but the mechanics during these spins redefine what this game is capable of. Unlike the base game where splitting symbols appear only on reels 2, 3, and 4, the free spins round unleashes full-reel splitting on all five positions. Combined with the expanding symbol mechanic that fills entire reels, you’re looking at dramatically amplified win potential. The 7,776 ways to win ceiling represents the mathematical maximum when splitting symbols activate simultaneously across all reels whilst the expanding symbol fills its designated position.
Retriggering is possible during the bonus round–landing 3+ scatters again grants 10 additional free spins. Crucially, all the big wins emerge during this free spins phase, where feature retriggering can happen indefinitely, keeping the excitement mounting as you chase magical rewards. This creates a natural escalation: the base game keeps you engaged with splitting symbol moments, but the real potential unfolds when the bonus triggers and those enhanced mechanics align.
Free Spins Volatility and Win Potential
The free spins maintain the high-volatility character of the base game, though the expanded mechanics shift the risk-reward balance meaningfully. The 10 free spins awarded might feel conservative, but retriggering capability and the explosive potential of 7,776 paylines create genuine excitement. The splitting mechanic during bonus rounds doesn’t feel random or frustrating–it feels like the game rewarding your patience when the bonus finally triggers. The expanding symbol selection (whether high or low-paying) adds strategic interest to how these spins develop, and the visual spectacle of multiple reels splitting simultaneously creates those cinematic moments that justify the high volatility journey.
Our Honest Verdict
Rating: 9.1/10
Merlin’s Grimoire stands as an evolved, full-throttle take on the book-style formula that successfully revitalises what has become, frankly, a formulaic genre. Play’n GO demonstrates genuine understanding of splitting symbol mechanics here–an approach popularised by other developers but executed with distinctive flair. The combination of classic scatter-trigger mechanics with innovative splitting reels creates compelling gameplay that never feels bloated or overcomplicated.
Strengths are substantial: the splitting symbols genuinely bring thrill to an otherwise quiet base game, the visual presentation stands well above typical slot fare (the forest setting refreshingly avoids tomb clichés), and the 30,000x to 31,104x maximum win potential aligns with the high-volatility positioning. The narrative backdrop–young Merlin’s journey toward his legendary destiny–provides thematic cohesion that transforms generic symbols into meaningful characters. The game is not overly repetitive; random splitting activation and premium audio-visual effects keep the experience engaging without demanding constant attention.
The honest limitation: this game demands patience. The high volatility means bonus triggers won’t arrive every session, and the base game without splitting symbols can feel relatively quiet. Casual players expecting frequent wins or those uncomfortable with volatile mathematics should look elsewhere. Similarly, high-volatility chasers seeking infinite bonus features or wildly expanding grids might find the mechanical simplicity slightly underwhelming–though the splitting mechanic packs sufficient punch to offset this concern.
For the intended audience–high-volatility players willing to embrace risk for substantial rewards, particularly those drawn to Arthurian themes and genre-leading presentation–Merlin’s Grimoire delivers genuinely exceptional value. It’s not merely another book slot; it’s a thoughtfully executed evolution that brings fresh life and thrilling gameplay to a category that desperately needed it.
Merlin’s Grimoire FAQs
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What is the RTP of Merlin’s Grimoire?
The primary RTP of Merlin’s Grimoire is 96.20%, though the game is available in multiple RTP versions including 94.20%, 91.20%, 87.20%, and 84.20%. The specific RTP available depends on the online casino where you’re playing, so it’s important to verify the version offered at your chosen operator. -
What is the maximum win on Merlin’s Grimoire?
The maximum win on Merlin’s Grimoire is 30,000x to 31,104x your stake, depending on the specific game configuration. This high maximum multiplier is characteristic of the game’s high volatility design, rewarding players who encounter optimal symbol combinations with the splitting mechanics. -
Does Merlin’s Grimoire have a bonus buy feature?
No, Merlin’s Grimoire does not have a bonus buy feature. The game stays true to its mystical roots by relying entirely on organic gameplay mechanics. Bonus rounds are triggered only by landing 3, 4, or 5 Grimoire scatter symbols in view, which awards an upfront payout and 10 free spins with expanding symbols. -
What is the volatility of Merlin’s Grimoire?
Merlin’s Grimoire operates on a high volatility math model, designed for players seeking both risk and reward. The high volatility means wins are less frequent than in medium or low volatility games, but when they do occur, they can be substantially larger due to the maximum win potential of 30,000x+. -
How many ways to win does Merlin’s Grimoire have?
Merlin’s Grimoire features a dynamic ways-to-win system. At base, the 5×3 reel grid creates 243 ways to win. However, when splitting symbols land on reels 2, 3, and 4 in the base game (or all 5 reels during free spins), they can double the number of paylines, with the maximum reaching 7,776 ways to win when multiple symbols split simultaneously. -
What are the minimum and maximum bets on Merlin’s Grimoire?
The minimum bet on Merlin’s Grimoire is 0.10 (or 10p depending on currency) and the maximum bet per spin is 100.00. This betting range makes the game accessible to casual players with small bankrolls whilst also accommodating high-stakes players seeking larger potential wins. -
What is the free spins trigger in Merlin’s Grimoire?
Landing 3, 4, or 5 Grimoire scatter symbols in any position on the reels triggers the free spins bonus round in Merlin’s Grimoire. Players receive 10 free spins as part of the bonus, and a selected pay symbol expands during these rounds to create additional winning combinations with the increased ways-to-win mechanics up to 7,776 paylines. -
Can I play Merlin’s Grimoire on mobile?
Yes, Merlin’s Grimoire is fully compatible with mobile devices. Play’n GO ensures that all their games, including Merlin’s Grimoire, are optimised for play on smartphones and tablets, allowing players to enjoy the game on the go with the same features and mechanics available on desktop.
