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Slot review · Hacksaw Gaming · 2022

Hand of Anubis Slot Review & Guide

Hand of Anubis is Hacksaw Gaming at its darkest. Forget the sun-bleached pyramids of most Egyptian slots — this one drags you down into the underworld, where Anubis weighs souls and a 5x6 cluster-pays grid (wins come from groups of touching symbols, not paylines) fills with glowing Soul Orbs that carry climbing multipliers. Released on 21 April 2022, it offers a 10,000x max win on a default RTP of 96.24% — RTP, or return to player, being the long-run share of bets a slot pays back. It is rated a maximum 5/5 volatility, and that rating is not marketing. Here is my full review after a lot of sessions, with verified numbers and no sugar-coating.

★★★★☆8.2 / 10
Key facts
RTP96.24%
VolatilityVery High
Max win10,000x
ProviderHacksaw Gaming
Release2022
Grid5x6
MechanicCluster Pays
Bets$0.10 – $100
MultipliersSoul Orbs grow per cluster · feature multipliers x2 – x10
Free spinsUnderworld (3 scatters) · Judgement (4 scatters, 3 refilling spins)
MobileYes

RTP & max win are the provider's published figures. Some operators run modified RTP versions — always check in the game info panel. 18+ · Play responsibly.

Play Hand of Anubis for free (demo)

Try Hand of Anubis below with virtual demo credits — same math model, same features, zero real money. I always recommend a demo session first to feel the variance before you ever consider real stakes.

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My review of Hand of Anubis

My experience

I came to Hand of Anubis the way I come to most slots: as a poker player who thinks in expected value (what a bet returns on average) first and entertainment second. This one tests that discipline harder than almost anything else in the Hacksaw catalogue, because it is built to be cruel for long stretches and then suddenly, spectacularly generous.

The atmosphere does a lot of heavy lifting. The palette is all deep blues, golds and shadow; the soundtrack hums with menace; and Anubis looms over the reels like he is already deciding your fate. Where Le Bandit charms you, Hand of Anubis intimidates you, and that mood matters more than people admit when you are hundreds of spins deep into a dry run.

The base game revolves entirely around the Soul Orbs. These are wilds that arrive carrying a multiplier value, and that value grows as winning clusters resolve — the red orb and the blue orb build differently, but the headline is the same: the longer a sequence of cascading cluster wins runs, the bigger those orb multipliers get. The magic moment is when a high red orb and a high blue orb both land inside the same winning cluster, because their multipliers combine. That is the geometry behind every huge result I have seen on this game, and chasing it is genuinely addictive.

Let me be honest about the cost of that chase. Most spins pay nothing. The base game can grind through long, dispiriting cold runs where no cluster connects and no orb gets a chance to build. This is a 5/5 volatility slot and it plays exactly like one — closer in spirit to Wanted Dead or a Wild than to the friendlier Le Bandit. If you are not comfortable watching a bankroll bleed slowly between rare spikes, this is not your game.

The features are where the dream lives. The Underworld Bonus (three scatters) builds multipliers under the reels and rewards you with extra spins for each one you activate, so a hot run snowballs. Judgement (four scatters) is rarer and more violent — a short burst of refilling spins with stacking multiplier blocks that can resolve into very little or into something that ends your night early in the best way. In my sessions, one good Judgement has erased a lot of cold base-game spins. But the operative word is one: these features are infrequent, and most of them pay modestly. The max win is the lottery ticket at the very end of the distribution, and you should treat it as exactly that.

Strengths

  • Default RTP of 96.24% — slightly above the current market average for high-potential slots
  • Soul Orb wild system with multipliers that climb across cascading clusters — a genuinely original twist
  • Combining a high red orb and a high blue orb in one cluster creates real big-win geometry
  • Two distinct features (Underworld and Judgement) that each play very differently
  • Outstanding dark Egyptian art direction and sound — one of Hacksaw's most atmospheric themes
  • Built mobile-first in HTML5; loads fast and plays flawlessly on phones

Weaknesses

  • Maximum 5/5 volatility — long, brutal cold runs in the base game are completely normal
  • The 10,000x max win is an extraordinarily rare event; never treat it as a target
  • Most spins return nothing, and most features pay modestly — the dream lives at the far tail
  • Casinos can run reduced RTP versions as low as 88.41% — always check the paytable
  • Source sites disagree on some feature spin counts and multiplier caps, so verify rules in-game before buying anything

Who is Hand of Anubis for?

Hand of Anubis is for variance hunters. If you love extreme-volatility slots — the kind where you accept a lot of dead spins for a shot at a session-defining hit — this is one of the most atmospheric ways to scratch that itch. Fans of Wanted Dead or a Wild will feel right at home with the swing profile, and anyone who enjoys multiplier-stacking mechanics will appreciate how the Soul Orbs build. It is much less suited to casual players or anyone on a tight bankroll: the cold runs are real, the features are infrequent, and the math does not flatter you in the short term. If you do play, start in the free demo to learn how the orbs grow at zero cost, size your bets so you can absorb 200+ spins without a feature, set a loss limit before the first spin, and treat the 10,000x ceiling as a fairy tale rather than a plan. The house edge applies no matter how cinematic Anubis looks. 18+, play responsibly.

How Hand of Anubis works

Hand of Anubis plays on a 5-reel, 6-row grid with cluster pays: you win by landing five or more matching symbols connected horizontally or vertically. There are no paylines and no ways — connection is everything, and winning symbols cascade away so new ones can drop in and chain further wins. The whole game is organised around Soul Orbs, wild symbols that carry a multiplier that grows as clusters resolve, and around two scatter-triggered features. Stakes run from $0.10 to $100 per spin, the default RTP is 96.24% (with 94.32%, 92.28% and 88.41% variants in circulation), and everything below explains how each piece fits together.

Cluster Pays on a 5x6 Grid

Wins require five or more identical symbols touching horizontally or vertically anywhere on the 30-position grid. There are no fixed paylines, so board reading matters: a single well-placed symbol can connect two near-clusters into one paying shape. Low pays are stylised royals; high pays are dark Egyptian icons. Because clusters can form across the whole grid, the layout rewards patience — the value is in the chains, not in any one drop.

Cascading Wins

Every winning cluster is removed from the grid and new symbols fall in to fill the gaps. Cascades repeat for as long as new clusters keep forming, so a single spin can chain several wins together. This is not just about the direct payout: each cascade is another chance for a Soul Orb's multiplier to climb, which is why a long cascade sequence is what you are really hoping for on every spin.

Red Soul Orb

The Red Soul Orb is a wild that substitutes in clusters and carries a multiplier value. Across reviews the consensus is that the red orb's multiplier increases as winning clusters resolve during a spin — the more it participates, the higher it climbs. When it lands inside a winning cluster, its multiplier is applied to that cluster's payout. Sources describe the exact growth rule slightly differently, so confirm the wording in the in-game paytable, but the principle is consistent: keep the red orb on the board through cascades and it gets stronger.

Blue Soul Orb

The Blue Soul Orb is the companion wild, and it builds its multiplier on a different rule from the red orb across cascading cluster wins. The decisive interaction is this: when a red orb and a blue orb both take part in the same winning cluster, their multipliers multiply together rather than just add. That combined value is the engine behind this game's largest results — virtually every massive recorded win comes from stacking two high orbs into one cluster.

Underworld Bonus — 3 Scatters

Land 3 scatter symbols on a single spin to trigger the Underworld Bonus. In this feature, multipliers build beneath the reels and increase as you win, with values commonly reported as 2x, 3x, 4x, 5x and 10x, and you are awarded additional spins for each multiplier you activate — so a hot run extends itself. It is the more frequent of the two features and the one where steady multiplier-building can compound into a strong total.

Judgement — 4 Scatters

Land 4 scatters to trigger Judgement, the rarer and more explosive feature: a short set of refilling spins (commonly described as 3) with stacking multiplier blocks that accumulate at the bottom of the grid. Because the spins refill and the blocks persist, Judgement has a very wide range of outcomes — it can fizzle, or it can resolve into a session-defining result. This is the feature most associated with the game's top-end potential.

Bonus Buys

Where regulations allow, Hand of Anubis offers bonus buys so you can purchase entry into the features instead of waiting for scatters. Reported options include a direct buy for the Underworld Bonus and one for Judgement, with feature-buy RTP figures that sit very close to the base RTP. As always, buying a bonus changes your variance profile — it compresses time and increases swings — but it does not meaningfully improve your long-term expected return. Bonus buys are also restricted or unavailable in some jurisdictions, including the UK.

Hand of Anubis FAQ

What is the RTP of Hand of Anubis?

The default RTP (return to player — the long-run share of bets the game pays back) is 96.24%, which is Hacksaw Gaming's official figure and slightly above today's market average. Operators can also license reduced versions at 94.32%, 92.28% or 88.41% — those are the variant figures published by the provider, though some review sites list marginally different numbers. Always open the in-game info screen at your casino to check which version you are actually playing before betting real money.

What is the max win on Hand of Anubis?

The maximum win is 10,000x your bet, so a $1 spin could theoretically pay $10,000. It is an extraordinarily rare event that sits at the very far tail of the game's distribution — the practical path to it involves stacking high red and blue Soul Orb multipliers inside the features, where their values combine. Treat the 10,000x figure as a marketing number, not a realistic target.

How volatile is Hand of Anubis?

Hacksaw rates it a maximum 5 out of 5 on their own volatility scale, and that rating is honest. Expect long, cold runs in the base game punctuated by rare, large spikes. It plays much closer to an extreme-variance slot like Wanted Dead or a Wild than to a friendlier medium-volatility game. If slow bankroll bleed between infrequent big moments is not for you, this is not your slot.

What do the Soul Orbs do?

Soul Orbs are wild symbols that carry a multiplier which grows as winning clusters resolve during a spin. The red orb and the blue orb build their multipliers on different rules, but the key mechanic is that when both land inside the same winning cluster, their multipliers multiply together. That combined value is the core big-win engine of the game. Because reviewers word the exact growth rules slightly differently, check the in-game paytable for the precise mechanic at your casino.

How do I trigger the features in Hand of Anubis?

Land scatter symbols on a single spin. Three scatters trigger the Underworld Bonus, where multipliers build under the reels and each activated multiplier awards extra spins. Four scatters trigger Judgement, a short burst of refilling spins (commonly reported as 3) with stacking multiplier blocks. Judgement is the rarer and more explosive of the two.

Can I play Hand of Anubis for free in demo mode?

Yes — the free demo is playable right here on this page, no account or download needed. It runs on virtual demo credits and uses the same math as the real-money game, so it is genuinely the best way to learn how the Soul Orbs build before risking anything. With a 5/5 volatility slot, I strongly recommend starting in the demo. Remember the demo balance is virtual — it carries no real-money value, and the game is for players 18+.

Does Hand of Anubis work on mobile?

Yes — like all Hacksaw Gaming titles, it is built in HTML5 and runs natively in any modern mobile browser on iOS and Android, with no app download needed. Hacksaw designs mobile-first, and it shows: the portrait layout is excellent, the grid stays readable on small screens, and load times are among the fastest in the industry. There is no functional difference between desktop and mobile play.

Are there bonus buys, and are they available everywhere?

Where your jurisdiction allows it, you can buy directly into the features — reported options include a direct buy for the Underworld Bonus and one for Judgement, with feature-buy RTPs very close to the base RTP. Buying a bonus does not improve your long-term expected return; it only compresses time and increases variance. Note that bonus buys are restricted or unavailable in several regulated markets, including the UK.

When was Hand of Anubis released?

Hacksaw Gaming released Hand of Anubis on 21 April 2022. It is one of the studio's standout dark-themed cluster slots and remains popular for its atmosphere and its extreme volatility. If you enjoy the Soul Orb multiplier mechanic, several later Hacksaw titles iterate on similar build-and-multiply ideas.

Is Hand of Anubis better than Wanted Dead or a Wild?

They are similar in spirit — both are extreme-volatility Hacksaw slots where the base game can be brutal and everything hinges on rare features — but they play very differently. Wanted Dead or a Wild is a payline-based shooter with the Duel at Dawn finale; Hand of Anubis is a cluster-pays game driven by combining Soul Orb multipliers. Neither is 'better'; pick the one whose mechanic and theme you prefer, and know you are buying high variance either way.

Where can I play Hand of Anubis for real money?

Hand of Anubis is available at most casinos carrying the Hacksaw Gaming catalogue. I recommend a licensed casino that publishes its RTP settings — my current pick is Betify, where I have verified the game runs properly. Wherever you play, confirm the casino is licensed in your jurisdiction, check the in-game RTP screen, and use deposit limits. You must be 18 or older, and gambling should only ever be done with money you can afford to lose.

What is the bet range on Hand of Anubis?

Stakes run from $0.10 up to $100 per spin (or the equivalent in your currency, with exact limits varying slightly by casino). Given the 5/5 volatility, size your bets so you can comfortably absorb 200+ spins without a feature — long scatter droughts are entirely normal here, and a comfortable bet size is the single best defence against the swings.

Where to play Hand of Anubis

Hand of Anubis is one of the most atmospheric extreme-volatility slots Hacksaw has ever shipped. The dark underworld theme is gorgeous, and the Soul Orb mechanic — two wilds whose multipliers grow across cascades and then multiply together in a single cluster — is a genuinely clever big-win engine that keeps you leaning in. But the 5/5 volatility is the headline you must respect: most spins pay nothing, the features are infrequent, and the 10,000x ceiling is so remote it should play no part in your decision to spin. The 96.24% default RTP is honest by modern standards, and as a poker player I appreciate that the game shows you its math even when that math is unforgiving. It earns an 8.2/10 from me — a brilliant, brutal slot I respect more than I relax with. Play the demo first, verify your casino's RTP version, set your limits before the first spin, and let Anubis weigh your soul without ever betting more than you can lose. 18+, play responsibly.

Where I play it
Betify

30 free spins or 50% freebetCasino code MOON or sport code MOONSPORT — not cumulative

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