Barbar

Barbar Review

While some studios produce slots that are almost identical, featuring themes they believe still work well, Pragmatic Play always focuses on diverse visuals and storylines. This time, they’re offering us a tale of brave and mighty warriors whose journey can be followed in the game Barbar, released on October 14, 2024. The first thing that catches your eye here is the fairly large 6x5 grid and the rather rare “Pay Anywhere” mechanic. But it’s still all about forming combos of matching symbols, which you’ll have to do despite the high volatility.

On the other hand, the 96.5% RTP is clearly a strong point of Barbar that many will appreciate. In addition, the provider promises a fairly large maximum prize paid out with a x15,000 multiplier. Considering that you can start with 0.20 euros per spin and raise that bet all the way up to 100 euros, the theoretical payout could reach 1.5 million euros, so Barbar is an option for those hunting for truly massive prizes.

Barbar Slot - Reels Screen

The rules for forming winning combinations here are a whole different story, since we’re dealing with the Pay Anywhere engine. You simply land matching symbols anywhere on the grid to win prizes, without being tied to paylines or even the reels. But it’s not all about standard combinations here, as Barbar also offers extra multipliers of up to x1,000, free spins with a cumulative multiplier, and several other features.

Although gemstones can cost a fortune, here they serve as low-paying symbols. A spiked mace, arm guards, a battle axe, a sword in its sheath, and a bow with arrows appear on the reels slightly less frequently, as they form more valuable combos. If you’re lucky enough to land 12–30 maces, you can trigger a multiplier of up to x50, so even the base game can reward you quite generously. But Pragmatic has also added Scatters and Multiplier Orbs to the symbol set to ensure you never get bored spinning the reels.

Barbar Features

According to the latest trends in iGaming, many players have grown quite tired of run-of-the-mill titles featuring basic combos and standard extras like FS. That’s why Pragmatic always strives to offer something new that can be a breath of fresh air, especially for discerning gamblers. Unfortunately, Barbar doesn’t offer anything groundbreaking that will blow your mind. Still, it does feature some highly effective bonus features capable of leading to very large prizes.

Tumble Feature

High volatility always means that many spins don’t do anything for your bankroll. But Tumbles are here to even things out by giving you the chance to land multiple combos in a single round. Here’s how it works: the icons that were part of the combo disappear from the grid, and new ones land in their place. Potentially, this can result in at least one more prize without you having to place a new bet. And you end up receiving a total prize for all the cascades following the last unsuccessful attempt.

Multiplier Orbs

Most often, you’ll encounter gemstones and barbarian warrior items here. But sometimes blue, green, purple, and red orbs, as well as a fiery medallion, will appear on the grid, which can happen even in the base game. And the thing is, each of these icons can carry a multiplier ranging from x2 to x1,000. Let’s say you’ve seen these special symbols throughout the cascades. When the chain of consecutive wins ends, all the multipliers remaining on the game screen are added together to give you a final value by which your prize from the cascades is multiplied. Theoretically, this can lead to an impressive payout of up to x15,000 your bet.

FS Mode

Barbar Slot - Free Spins Win Screen

Pragmatic Play decided not to deprive players of free spins, which are often quite promising as for prize potential. You’ll need at least 4 Scatters (golden helmets) anywhere on the grid at the end of a round to activate this mode. It all starts with 15 FS, during which special reels with a modified set of symbols are in play. The highlight here is a special accumulative multiplier that adds its value to the round’s total multiplier every time it lands on the screen and results in a win. The most interesting part is that every time a multiplier symbol lands on the grid, players can extend this bonus by +5 FS by landing at least 3 more Scatters.

Ante Bet

We listed the max bet as 100 euros, while the specifications clearly state that it can be 125 euros. You can reach this max value by placing an Ante bet. It doubles your chances of triggering FS mode compared to regular play. And as you might have guessed, it costs 1.25 times your base bet. So if you prefer to play at the maximum bet, the Ante will increase it by 25%. But remember that this feature offers no guarantees, so use it wisely.

Buy Free Spins

To trigger FS mode naturally, you must have at least 4 Scatters on the grid at the end of any round. Hitting such a combo is probably not easy, and Pragmatic knows this. That’s why it offers the option to buy FS for 100 times your bet. In other words, if you bet 1 euro per round, entering the bonus mode will cost you 100 euros. However, if the Ante Bet is active, you won’t be able to use the guaranteed trigger.

Theme & Graphics

Imagine a gray-haired warrior riding leisurely on a white horse against a backdrop of hills and ancient fortresses. This is the central figure in this title, as it tells the story of barbarian warriors who bravely fought in battles. You can see the field designed in dark blue and gold tones, which are easy on the eyes. At the same time, we can appreciate the attention to detail, where even low-value gems shimmer beautifully with rich colors. As is almost always the case with Pragmatic Play, the animations here are top-notch, which is especially evident when multiplier orbs appear on the grid. The developers have also done a great job with the sound design, even though many players prefer to play in silence. And since iGaming has long since entered the “mobile-first” era, you can enjoy the Barbar slot even on the go.

Barbar Free Play

We recommend that you make it a rule to always try out each game in risk-free mode first. This is especially important when dealing with slots that offer something more complex than 3-symbol combos. So we recommend starting with the Barbar free play options, where you can test out the Tumbles, extra multipliers, and other features without spending your own money. We always have access to the latest releases from Pragmatic Play, so it’s no surprise that we already have a demo version of Barbar. Anyone can test it on a desktop or mobile device right here on the SlotCatalog platform.

Pros & Cons of the Barbar Slot

Our Verdict

This game is all about brave warriors who risk their lives in every battle, so even the theme itself hints at high volatility. And we really did have to try many times before winning anything, not to mention getting several cascades in a row. But the 96.5% RTP feels like a fair figure, especially if you’re playing a long session. Still, as for the most effective feature in Barbar, it’s definitely the accumulative multiplier available in FS mode.

Since the greatest potential here lies in the free spins, the Ante Bet and the bonus buy feature definitely deserve special attention. If you don’t want to wait too long for the feature to trigger organically, increasing your bet by 25% to double your chances of triggering the free spins seems like a reasonable deal. But there are no guarantees here, so everything still comes down to chance. Direct access to the bonus round, however, costs 100x your bet, which could be a fortune for some players. So use this feature with extreme caution while playing at a low bet.

By all accounts, Barbar will appeal to fans of slots themed around wars and conquests. And the “anywhere on the screen” payout mechanic, combined with tumbling reels and multipliers, brings to mind other popular Pragmatic Play titles. For example, hits like Gates of Olympus and Sweet Bonanza immediately came to mind, as they share many similarities. To sum up, Barbar is best suited for seasoned players who are prepared to endure long losing streaks for the chance to reach a substantial payout.