Riders of the Storm

Riders of the Storm Slot Review

Thunderkick’s Riders of the Storm released in September 2019 arrived as a standout entry in the steampunk slot landscape. The studio built the game for players who appreciate immersive visual presentation and genuine mechanical depth, where feature selection creates real strategic choice rather than predetermined outcomes. If you’ve found yourself drawn to Thunderkick’s distinctive style-think meticulous artwork, thematic coherence, and mechanics that reward player knowledge-this one belongs on your watchlist.

Base Game & Features

Riders of the Storm spins across a standard 5-reel, 3-row grid with 243 paylines, allowing winning combinations to form left to right across any aligned symbols. The reels feature character-specific artwork-the Engineer, Huntress, and Captain each contributing to the steampunk aesthetic that sets this release apart visually. During base game spins, you’ll encounter regular symbols that climb the paytable hierarchy, but the real interest lies in how features activate.

Base Game Modifiers

Two features can trigger during standard gameplay. Mystery Wild Reels activates randomly on any spin, transforming between 1 and 4 entire reels into stacked wilds for a single spin-a feature that arrives unpredictably enough to maintain engagement during the base game grind. Stacked Symbols appear with increased frequency, building thematic connection to whichever bonus mode you’ll eventually select.

Feature Triggers

Scatters land as clock and compass symbols, and landing 3 or more triggers the bonus event. The payout structure favours larger scatter hits: 3 scatters awards 2x your stake, 4 scatters pays 20x your stake, and 5 scatters delivers 200x your stake before you even enter free spins. This scatter-triggered structure builds tension into the transition to bonus mode.

Riders of the Storm Free Spins

The Bonus Game Selector sits at the heart of Riders of the Storm’s mechanical identity. When scatters connect, you choose from four distinct free spins modes before any bonus plays out-genuine player agency that shapes the session’s volatility profile. Each mode operates with different free spin counts and walking wild multipliers, meaning the decision you make directly influences winning potential.

Four Bonus Modes Explained

Engineer Mode awards 15 free spins with a 2x walking wild multiplier, positioning itself as the low-volatility choice for players seeking extended gameplay and steadier returns. Huntress Mode reduces the spin count to 10 but escalates the multiplier to 3x, striking a middle ground between frequency and multiplier aggression. Captain Mode operates at the volatility extreme: just 6 free spins paired with a 5x multiplier-a high-risk choice that can produce outsized wins or quick exits. Mystery Mode introduces randomness to both metrics: between 6 and 15 free spins combined with a random multiplier between 2x and 5x.

Walking Wilds & Retriggers

During free spins, the core mechanical hook activates: wild symbols move leftward with each spin, with each movement triggering respins that build momentum. This walking wild system creates the authentic tension Thunderkick designed into the feature-you watch multipliers climb as wilds traverse the grid, creating multiple winning opportunities from single bonus rounds.

Retriggers arrive frequently enough to matter. Landing additional scatters during free spins can award up to 3 retriggers, potentially adding 33 additional free spins and substantially extending profitable bonus rounds. This mechanic particularly favours the Captain and Mystery modes, where the extended playtime multiplies the impact of higher multiplier values.

The maximum theoretical win climbs to 26,426x your stake, achievable primarily through Captain mode with optimal bonus setup-several free spin retriggering cycles with consistent 5x multiplier alignment. While achieving this peak requires considerable variance alignment, streamers have documented legitimate big wins from standard bonus play, suggesting the game possesses genuine payout potential.

Our Honest Verdict

Overall Verdict: 7.5/10

Riders of the Storm succeeds precisely because it doesn’t chase every market trend. Thunderkick built this game for two specific player types: feature-driven enthusiasts who want their bonus rounds to matter, and themed-game players who value atmospheric presentation alongside mechanical delivery.

The steampunk aesthetic works-detailed character artwork, cohesive sound design, and a grand atmosphere combine to create something visually original compared to the parade of identical megaways slots. The 96.15% RTP sits favourably in the market, and the 243-payline structure with a £0.10 minimum bet provides excellent value for extended playtime on smaller bankrolls. For experienced players comfortable with high variance, the RTP delivers genuine value with the decision-making the Bonus Game Selector provides.

However, honest assessment requires acknowledging the trade-offs. Bonus frequency appears relatively low, meaning base game sessions can stretch into extended dry spells before scatter hits land. The game won’t satisfy casual players seeking frequent small wins-it requires patience and appreciation for volatility-based gameplay. Getting the free spins can feel genuinely frustrating due to these dry periods, though the game remains mechanically sound when bonus rounds trigger.

Riders of the Storm earns its position by building genuine mechanical depth into the feature selection. You’re not selecting between cosmetic variations-Engineer mode genuinely plays different from Captain mode, with different risk profiles, different session dynamics, and different long-term payout distributions. This separates Thunderkick’s design philosophy from competitors who offer illusory choice.

Riders of the Storm FAQs

• What is the RTP of Riders of the Storm?

  The RTP of Riders of the Storm is 96.15% in the base game, with slight variations of 96.14-96.15% depending on which free spins bonus option is selected. All four bonus options maintain similar RTP values despite their different volatility levels.
• What is the max win in Riders of the Storm?

  The maximum payout in Riders of the Storm is 26,426x your stake. This maximum is achieved when selecting the high-volatility Captain bonus option (6 free spins with 5x wild multiplier) and landing optimal winning combinations during the bonus round.
• What are the bonus options in Riders of the Storm?

  Riders of the Storm offers four bonus options: Engineer (15 free spins, 2x multiplier, low volatility), Huntress (10 free spins, 3x multiplier, medium volatility), Captain (6 free spins, 5x multiplier, high volatility), and Mystery (random spins 6-15, random multiplier 2x-5x). Players choose their preferred option when triggering the bonus.
• How do you trigger the bonus in Riders of the Storm?

  The bonus is triggered by landing 3, 4, or 5 clock/compass scatter symbols on the same spin. Landing 3 scatters awards 2x your stake, 4 scatters awards 20x your stake, and 5 scatters awards 200x your stake, plus entry into the free spins round where you select your bonus option.
• What is the volatility of Riders of the Storm?

  Riders of the Storm features variable volatility as it offers four selectable bonus options: Engineer is low volatility, Huntress is medium volatility, Captain is high volatility, and Mystery is random volatility. The base game is considered medium to high volatility overall.
• Does Riders of the Storm have walking wilds?

  Yes, Riders of the Storm features walking wilds that are active during the free spins bonus round. During free games, any wild symbols move one step to the left with each spin until they exit the screen, with each movement triggering respins to increase winning potential.
• Can you retrigger the bonus in Riders of the Storm?

  Yes, Riders of the Storm has a retrigger-friendly bonus round. Landing additional scatters during free spins can award up to 3 retriggers, potentially adding up to 33 total additional free spins, which significantly extends the bonus round and increases winning opportunities.
• What is the Mystery Reels feature in Riders of the Storm?

  Mystery Reels is a randomly activated base game feature that can appear on any spin. When triggered, between 1 and 4 reels turn completely wild for that single spin, offering a chance for big base game wins. The feature offers no multiplier value and you cannot land scatters or additional wilds during it.