Duel at Dawn
Review Setup
| Mobile Device | iPhone 15, Chrome 133.0.6943.33 |
| Desktop Browser | Chrome 133.0.6943.33 |
| Play Time on Mobile | 60 |
| Play Time on Desktop | 60 |
| Amount Bet | $7,000 |
| Final Result | Won $452.20 |
Duel at Dawn is a gunslinging online slot from Hacksaw Gaming. This innovative studio has released some of my favorite Wild West-themed games, including Wanted Dead or a Wild, so I was excited to give Duel at Dawn a spin.
This is a highly volatile slot, with an above average return to player (RTP) rate and a maximum win of 15,000x your bet. I was also pleased to find that Duel at Dawn is a bonus buy slot, which means you can dive right into any of the five bonus rounds.
I played Duel at Dawn for around two hours via my phone and my computer. During that time, I evaluated the graphics, soundtrack, gameplay, the bonus features, and the risk-reward ratio. I’ll now break down the key pros and cons I identified, before delivering my final verdict.
First Impressions with Duel at Dawn
I was instantly impressed by the graphics on this slot. The loading screen features an image of a newspaper called “The Most Wanted Evening Post,” which is a nice touch. Duel at Dawn loaded quickly on my phone, and the rules were displayed clearly.
The graphics are terrific. I liked the image of the smoking cowboy wielding a pistol, and the background is suitably atmospheric. I set my bet size to $2 per spin and hit the play button. Upbeat music began to play, and the reels started spinning. The animations were smooth, and it seemed like a high-quality slot.
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Visuals and Presentation: 5/5
The visuals on Duel at Dawn are immaculate. A cigar-chomping cowboy stands alert to the left of the grid, with his pistol locked and loaded. The dawn sky is dark and foreboding, but the sun is rising on the western horizon. In the background, you’ll see the dusty, cacti-lined valleys and paths of the Wild West. It’s vaguely cartoonish but also reminiscent of a watercolor painting.
A 5×5 grid is roughly etched into this rugged landscape. The symbols feature sheriff stars, cowboy hats, dueling pistols, bull’s heads, wagon wheels, and old-school playing cards.
If an “Outlaw” symbol appears, it will expand into a full reel. A revolver will then appear, and it begins shooting bullets at the grid. When a symbol is hit with a bullet, it turns wild. You can also trigger a “DuelReel” feature if the “VS” symbol lands. An outlaw and a sheriff will then duel it out, and you’ll receive the multiplier attached to the winner.
These animations are excellent. I also liked the way the grid sets on fire when you trigger a free spins round. The excitement mounts throughout the round, and coins erupt when you secure a “Super Mega Win” or “Epic Win.”
The Role of Sound: 5/5
I really enjoyed the soundtrack for Duel at Dawn as well. It often features upbeat music, which might accompany a chase on horseback through the Wild West. You can hear hooves trotting and cowboy boots stomping in the background, which adds to the authentic atmosphere.
However, there are also mournful periods. A cowboy whistles a melancholic tune, and trumpet reverberates across the plains. The music perfectly complements the graphics and the overall theme.
The sound effects work well too. For example, you’ll hear the cylinder spin on a revolver and bullets soaring across the grid.
Overall, the Duel at Dawn slot offers a very impressive audiovisual experience.
Gameplay Journey: 4/5
Duel of Dawn has a high volatility rate, so I expected lengthy losing streaks punctuated by large, occasional wins. In the base game, I didn’t even get that. I eventually secured a few big wins but only after activating the bonus buy features.
Here’s how my journey unfolded on the Duel at Dawn slot:
- I set my bet size to $2 and started spinning. I secured a few modest wins, but most of my spins were unsuccessful.
- After playing 20 minutes, I was down by $108.20. I wasn’t having much luck in the base game, and I still hadn’t triggered the bonus round, so I decided to activate a buy bonus feature.
- There were five options. One cost 3x my bet and two cost 60x, while the “Wild Wild West” option cost 100x and the “Dusk ’Til Dawn” option cost 200x. I went for the “Wild Wild West” option, which set me back $200. I received 10 free spins, with an increased chance of landing special symbols.
- On my sixth free spin, I won $256, which was exciting. In total, I earned $319.40 from this bonus round. That more than justified the $200 outlay. It wiped out my previous losses and left me with an overall profit of $11.20.
- Emboldened, I decided to activate the “Dusk ’Til Dawn” bonus feature for $400. That unlocked 10 free spins, with guaranteed special symbols. Unfortunately, I only won $52.60, which was disappointing. That left me down by $336.20 overall. I tried it again. The second time, I retriggered three extra free spins with “Duelspins,” and I won a total of $324.80. However, that didn’t cover the $400 outlay.
- I was now down by more than $400, so I took a different approach. I bought the “Deadly Duels Featurespins” feature for $120. I tried this a few times, but I never won more than $120. That inspired me to try the “Lone Outlaw Featurespins” option for $120 instead, but I had the same issue. I didn’t manage to win more than the cost of activating the feature, despite trying several times. At this point, I was down by around $700, so I decided to take a break.
- I then played a second session on my phone. After spinning the reels for 15 minutes, I was up by a few bucks. I decided it was time to try some of the buy bonus features again. I didn’t really like the “Deadly Duels Featurespins” option or the “Lone Outlaw Featurespins” feature, so I went for the higher-priced features instead.
- The “Wild Wild West” feature had provided my biggest win during my first session, so I tried it again. I only won $25.60, which was disappointing. I had another go, earning $166.20.
- I decided to try one more time. Fortunately, my third attempt was far more successful. I earned a $304 “Super Mega Win” on one of the spins, and then a $930 “Epic Win” on another free spin. In total, I earned $1,281 from this round. That left me up by $1,047.20 for my second session, and it erased my loss of $700 from the previous session.
I was up by $347.20 overall at this point, and I considered ending the game. However, I decided to buy the “Dusk ’Til Dawn” bonus feature for $400. This time, I retriggered an extra six free spins with “Duelspins.” In total, I won $505 from this bonus round. That was $105 more than the cost of activating the feature. It left me up by $452.20 overall, so it seemed like a good time to ride off into the sunset with my bounty.
Bonus Features Through My Eyes: 4/5
There are loads of bonus features on the Duel at Dawn slot. That ensures the gameplay remains varied and interesting. Here are the various features you can benefit from, as well as my thoughts on each:
| Feature | Description | Impact on Gameplay |
|---|---|---|
| Outlaw | If the “Outlaw” symbol appears, it will expand to cover the entire reel. A revolver will appear, featuring between one and six bullets. The gun will fire the bullets into the grid. Each bullet will hit a symbol, turning it into a wild. The wild symbols sub for all other symbols, helping you form winning combos. Each “Outlaw” symbol will also have a multiplier. It can be 2x, 3x, 4x, 5x, 6x, 8x, 9x, 10x, 15x, 20x, 25x, 50x, 75x, 100x, or 200x. If it helps you secure a winning combination, your payout will be multiplied by the value displayed. |
The “Outlaw” symbol appeared frequently when I played the Duel at Dawn slot. It helped me secure some of my largest wins during the base game. |
| DuelReels | You will trigger this feature if a “VS” symbol appears, provided it would be part of a winning combo once expanded. The reel expands, and it features two dueling gunslingers – a sheriff and an outlaw. Each gunslinger has a multiplier. For example, one might have 9x and the other might have 15x. One gunslinger will win, and your payout will then be increased by that figure. The potential multipliers are 2x, 3x, 4x, 5x, 6x, 8x, 9x, 10x, 15x, 20x, 25x, 50x, 75x, 100x, or 200x. |
This is a great feature. It helped me secure my biggest wins when playing Duel at Dawn. I triggered it on a regular basis during the base game. However, it really paid off during the Wild Wild West and Dusk ’Til Dawn bonus rounds. Triggering the DuelReels feature during those rounds helped me secure “Epic Wins” and “Super Mega Wins.” I was also pleased to note that I could trigger it multiple times on the same spin. I’d sometimes find dueling gunslingers on adjacent reels, which resulted in my biggest wins. |
| Wild Wild West | You will trigger this bonus round if you land three “FS” (free spins) symbols during the base game. Alternatively, you can buy the feature for 100x your bet. During your 10 free spins, you will have an increased chance of landing high-value multipliers on the “DuelReels” and “Outlaw” reels. There is also an increased chance of landing “VS” and “Outlaw” symbols. You can also retrigger extra free spins during this round – two free spins if you receive two “FS” symbols or four free spins if you receive three “FS” symbols. |
This was my favorite bonus round. Unfortunately, I didn’t manage to trigger it during the base game, despite playing Duel at Dawn for two hours. However, I activated the feature several times at a cost of 100x my bet. That proved to be a worthwhile decision, as I earned some substantial wins during this round. One low point occurred when I paid $200 and won just $25.60. However, I won more than $200 on a few occasions. At one point, I paid $200 to activate the feature, and I won $1,281. That left me with an overall profit during my session, so I have fond memories of the Wild Wild West feature. |
| Dusk ’Til Dawn | You need to land four “FS” scatter symbols during the base game to trigger this round. Alternatively, you can buy your way in for 200x your bet. During this round, you have the chance to earn “DuelSpins” with guaranteed “VS” symbols. You unlock these with the outlaw symbol, as the bullets he shoots will ultimately open up these extra perks. You can unlock up to five guaranteed “VS” symbols. You will also receive three extra free spins for each unlocked “DuelSpin.” |
This is the most expensive feature, as it costs 200x your bet. I didn’t trigger it during the base game, but I tried it out a few times. The Dusk ’Til Dawn feature is highly volatile, but that’s to be expected, as you can win up to 15,000x your bet. It’s a fun feature, and it offers the chance to secure large wins. However, it represents a significant investment, and I often failed to cover the cost of buying the feature. So, I preferred the Wild Wild West option. |
| BonusHunt Featurespins | This is a simple bonus buy option. It costs 3x your bet. For example, it would increase your stake from $2 to $6. If you activate it, you’ll be 5x more likely to trigger a bonus game on each spin. |
I tested this feature out for 30 spins, but I didn’t manage to trigger a bonus game. The “FS” symbols appeared pretty regularly, but I only ever landed one or two of them. My balance decreased at 3x the usual rate, so I didn’t like this feature. |
| Deadly Duels Featurespins | You can pay 60x your bet, and you’ll be guaranteed to land at least two “VS” symbols on that spin. However, “FS” symbols cannot appear. | This bonus feature only lasts one spin. I tried it several times, increasing my stake from $2 to $120. A few times, I won $116, which was $4 less than I paid. At other times, I earned far less than the cost of the feature, so I ultimately found this option unappealing. |
| Lone Outlaw Featurespins | Pay 60x your bet, and at least one “Outlaw” symbol with a minimum of two bullets will be guaranteed to land. | This is another feature that only lasts for a single spin. It’s pretty expensive, and I never managed to recoup the cost of activating the feature, let alone earn a profit from it. As such, I wasn’t particularly keen on this feature either. That said, it’s nice to have so many bonus buy options. |
Balancing Risk and Reward: 4.5/5
I was happy with this game’s risk-reward ratio. If an online slot has a high volatility rate, I also want to see a large maximum win. That helps to justify the lengthy losing streaks that can occur when playing a highly volatile slot.
Duel at Dawn offers the chance to win up to 15,000x your bet, which is impressive. The game also has a slightly above average RTP rate of 96.3%.
I don’t think I would have enjoyed this game as much if it didn’t offer a bonus buy option. That option was helpful, as I didn’t trigger the free spins round during the base game. After activating the Wild Wild West feature several times, I ended my two-hour session with a profit, so I was pleased to have that option.
The Good and Bad of Duel at Dawn
I really enjoyed Duel at Dawn, but it’s by no means perfect. Here are the key pros and cons that I identified when playing the slot.
- Duel at Dawn has an above average RTP rate and a maximum win of 15,000x your bet.
- The graphics and sound effects are very impressive, creating an immersive experience.
- Duel at Dawn features broad betting limits, as you can wager between $0.10 and $100 per spin, and there are lots of autoplay options.
- There are lots of bonus features, and the buy bonus option allows you to dive straight into them.
- This is a highly volatile slot, so I wouldn’t recommend it to players seeking small, steady wins.
- I found it difficult to trigger the bonus rounds during the base game.
- This online slot does not feature a progressive jackpot.
- I didn’t find any value in the lower-cost bonus buy features, but perhaps I was just unlucky when I tried them out.
Final Thoughts on Duel at Dawn
Duel at Dawn is an entertaining online slot that features superb graphics and a spellbinding soundtrack. The gameplay is smooth and varied, with lots of bonus features and bonus buy options.
The Wild West category is extremely saturated at online casinos, but Duel at Dawn feels fresh and exciting. The expanding reels and dueling gunslingers help this game stand out from the other slots in the category. I really enjoyed the Wild Wild West bonus round too.
Overall, I’d highly recommend giving this online slot a spin.
Final Score: 4.5/5
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