Phoenix Graveyard

Phoenix Graveyard Slot Review

Phoenix Graveyard marks ELK Studios’ darkest venture yet, plunging players into a gothic showdown between the Grim Reaper and a fiery Phoenix. Released on May 3, 2022, this isn’t your typical light-hearted ELK creation. Think foggy graveyards, beaten-down houses, and a haunting soundtrack reminiscent of Sleepy Hollow. The game features a sophisticated dual-wild system with expanding win ways that can explode from 243 to 1,000,000 ways to win, creating explosive potential during feature rounds. With a 10,000x maximum win and high volatility, Phoenix Graveyard appeals to experienced players who appreciate complex mechanics, dark atmospheric slots, and are willing to chase substantial wins through strategic feature interactions.

Base Game & Features

Phoenix Graveyard operates on a 5×3 grid starting with 243 ways to win in the base game, though this number can expand dramatically through the Tombstone Frame mechanic. The betting range accommodates players from £0.20 to £100 per spin, making it accessible to both cautious players and high-rollers. The game’s 95% RTP sits below the industry average, which when combined with high volatility creates a mathematical challenge that demands careful bankroll management. Wins occur roughly every 4.34 spins (23% hit frequency), meaning you’ll experience longer dry spells between payouts.

The symbol set features a dark, gothic aesthetic with detailed moving effects that bring the reels to life. Low-paying symbols consist of card ranks, whilst high-value symbols depict various graveyard imagery fitting the game’s ominous theme. The visual design has received praise from our team for its exceptional attention to detail, from the spooky backdrop to the intricate symbol animations that enhance every spin.

Dual Wild System

Phoenix Graveyard’s standout feature is its innovative dual-wild mechanic featuring two distinct wild types with contrasting behaviours:

• Phoenix Wild (Jumping Wild): This fiery bird jumps between reel positions during respins and free spins, remaining sticky throughout bonus sequences. When landing in a Tombstone Frame position, the Phoenix Wild gains a multiplier equal to the number of win ways in that frame, creating significant multiplier stacking potential.
• Grim Reaper Wild (Walking Wild): Appearing only on reels 3, 4, and 5, the Grim Reaper walks from right to left across the reels, triggering respins with each step. As it moves, the Reaper slices adjacent high-value symbols, activating the Tombstone Frame mechanic that expands win ways.

Tombstone Frames & Expanding Win Ways

The star of the show is the slicing mechanic that transforms the game’s potential. When the Grim Reaper Wild attacks high-value symbols, it creates Tombstone Frames around those positions. These frames split symbols into multiple instances, dramatically expanding the win ways from the base 243 up to an incredible 1,000,000 ways. A single Tombstone Frame position can generate 10+ symbol instances, creating explosive win multiplication. This mechanic feels similar to ELK’s Nitropolis series but with a darker, more atmospheric execution.

Battle Feature

When the Phoenix Wild and Grim Reaper Wild land adjacent to each other, they trigger a dramatic battle sequence. The outcome doubles the winning wild’s multiplier or births an additional Phoenix Wild onto the reels. This feature adds strategic depth and creates those heart-pounding moments where massive multipliers can suddenly materialise through wild interactions.

Phoenix Graveyard Free Spins

Free spins are triggered by landing 3, 4, or 5 Scatter symbols (depicted as petrified Phoenix symbols with “Bonus” text), awarding 6, 8, or 10 free spins respectively. The number of scatters also determines how many Phoenix Wilds are added to the reels at the start of the bonus round (1, 2, or 3 Phoenix Wilds), giving you a significant head start on multiplier accumulation.

During free spins, the expanded win ways persist from spin to spin, meaning any Tombstone Frames created remain active throughout the bonus round. Phoenix Wilds stay on the reels and continue jumping between positions, whilst the Grim Reaper Wild can still trigger walking respins and slice additional symbols. This persistence creates a snowball effect where win ways and multipliers compound across the bonus sequence, generating the game’s most substantial payout potential.

The combination of sticky Phoenix Wilds with their multipliers, expanding Tombstone Frames reaching towards 1,000,000 ways, and the Battle Feature’s multiplier doubling creates the explosive win scenarios that justify the game’s 10,000x maximum win potential. When Phoenix Graveyard fires, it truly fires brightly.

X-iter Bonus Buy

Phoenix Graveyard features ELK Studios’ signature X-iter Bonus Buy system with five distinct purchase options ranging from 10x to 500x your stake:

• 10x Stake (Sudden Death): Guaranteed expanded win ways activation
• 25x Stake (Battle): Increased chance of wild battle encounters
• 100x Stake (Buy Bonus): Standard free spins trigger
• 200x Stake (Big Bonus): Enhanced free spins with improved features
• 500x Stake (Super Bonus): Maximum free spins with 3 Phoenix Wilds

Important: The X-iter Bonus Buy feature is not available in the UK market due to UKGC regulations. UK players will need to trigger free spins through natural scatter landings.

When considering bonus buy options in jurisdictions where it’s available, players should carefully evaluate the RTP during purchased rounds versus the high cost. With the base game already offering a below-average 95% RTP and high volatility, bonus purchases at 200x-500x stakes represent substantial bankroll commitments that may not offer optimal value for money.

Our Honest Verdict

Rating: 7.0/10

Phoenix Graveyard showcases ELK Studios at their most ambitious, delivering a feature-rich, visually stunning slot that successfully combines the mechanical complexity of Nitropolis with the dark atmospheric execution of games like Blood Lust. The dual-wild system with its jumping Phoenix and walking Grim Reaper creates genuinely exciting feature interactions, whilst the expanding ways mechanic (243 to 1,000,000) provides explosive potential that can deliver wins up to 10,000x your stake.

Our team found the visual design to be an exceptional strength. ELK succeeded phenomenally with the mood setting here, creating an immersive gothic atmosphere with detailed symbols, atmospheric animations, and a haunting soundtrack that grips you from the first spin. It’s probably the darkest theme ELK has ever attempted, and it works brilliantly for players who appreciate atmospheric, horror-themed slots.

However, we must be honest about the game’s significant value concerns. The 95% RTP sits below the industry average, and when combined with high volatility and a 23% hit frequency (wins every 4.34 spins), Phoenix Graveyard creates an unfavourable risk-reward balance for most players. The base game feels slow and static, with substantial action reserved almost exclusively for the bonus rounds. This combination means your bankroll can take a serious beating during the inevitable dry spells, and as one reviewer aptly put it, “this game can be a bankroll graveyard if you’re not lucky.”

Phoenix Graveyard is not recommended for casual or budget-conscious players. The mathematical profile simply doesn’t favour conservative bankroll management. However, for experienced high-volatility enthusiasts who appreciate complex feature mechanics, dark atmospheric themes, and are specifically chasing those big-win moments, Phoenix Graveyard delivers a sophisticated, engaging experience that rewards feature understanding. Long-term ELK Studios fans should definitely give this a spin, as it represents the studio’s continued winning streak of innovative design.

If you’re the type of player who enjoys games like Misery Mining or Punk Toilet, and you’re comfortable with the high-volatility, bonus-focused playstyle, Phoenix Graveyard offers something genuinely unique. Just approach it with a healthy bankroll and realistic expectations about the 95% RTP’s long-term impact.

Phoenix Graveyard FAQs

• What is the RTP of Phoenix Graveyard?

  The RTP (Return to Player) of Phoenix Graveyard is 95%, which is below the industry average of 96-97%. However, the game’s feature-rich mechanics and expanding ways system that can increase from 243 to 1 million ways to win create opportunities for substantial multipliers during bonus rounds.
• What is the maximum win on Phoenix Graveyard?

  The maximum win on Phoenix Graveyard is 10,000x your total stake. This top prize can be achieved through the combination of expanding ways, wild multipliers, and the battle feature between Phoenix and Grim Reaper wilds during free spins rounds.
• Does Phoenix Graveyard have free spins?

  Yes, Phoenix Graveyard features free spins triggered by 3, 4, or 5 Scatter symbols awarding 6, 8, or 10 free spins respectively. During free spins, the expanded win ways persist and special wilds can create additional multiplier opportunities, with Phoenix Wilds remaining sticky throughout the bonus round.
• What are the special features in Phoenix Graveyard?

  Phoenix Graveyard includes several innovative features: Expanding Ways (243 to 1M ways), Phoenix Wild (jumping wild with multipliers), Grim Reaper Wild (walking wild that triggers respins), Battle Feature (when wilds meet, multipliers double or additional Phoenix Wild is born), and X-iter Bonus Buy with five purchase tiers ranging from 10x to 500x stake.
• What is the bet range for Phoenix Graveyard?

  Phoenix Graveyard offers a betting range from £0.20 (minimum) to £100 (maximum) per spin, making it accessible to both casual players and high-rollers with different bankroll preferences. Note that some regional variations may apply.
• Does Phoenix Graveyard have a bonus buy feature?

  Yes, Phoenix Graveyard features the X-iter Bonus Buy, which allows players to purchase free spins directly at costs ranging from 10x to 500x their stake across five different game modes. This feature is not available in the UK market due to UKGC regulations.
• When was Phoenix Graveyard released?

  Phoenix Graveyard was released by ELK Studios on May 3, 2022, marking the studio’s entry into darker, horror-themed slot games whilst maintaining their signature feature-rich design philosophy and innovative mechanics.