Horde 2 Winter

Horde 2 Winter Review

The Horde, a brute force that invaded Azeroth in the MMORPG video game World of Warcraft launched by Blizzard Entertainment. It has been an inspiration for many iGaming developers through the years, including PlayStar, a studio that utilized the theme earlier in 2024. In the last days of December, the sequel was released - Horde 2 Winter.

PlayStar is a rather boutique software supplier, but it already has about 150 games in its repertoire and currently specializes in mobile-first slots. For The Horde was the provider's first venture in the magical World of Warcraft, and the machine was packed with PlayStar's patented Spread mechanics.

Horde 2 Winter features the same payout system with cascades, multipliers, and symbol transformations. Only this time, the machine is packed with an additional Multiplier Boost before the start of the bonus minigame. But let's check on the layout and regular payouts first! Horde 2 Winter comes with the same 6-reel grid with a 4-6-6-6-6-4 row layout.

The first reel is Activated Reel and Spread connections always start from there. Wilds and regular symbols that have landed there become Winning Symbols, just like all the others, except scatters, connected on adjacent reels. You'll need at least 4 of any kind to create a winning combination and collect prizes according to the Paytable.

Horde 2 Winter is a mobile slot optimized for any device, operating system - Android, iOS, Linux, and Windows, and browser. However, its design isn't the most convenient one for playing on desktop PCs. The game is packed with Turbo Mode, Autoplay, and Lucky Strike features.

Horde 2 Winter Slot - Game Screen

Horde 2 Winter is packed with different-sized wild symbols that form as a result of the symbol transformation feature activation. They substitute for all regular symbols and pay 1x the bet when part of a winning combination. Orcs pay 0.70x, Wolves - 0.50x, Axe - 0.30x, Mace - 0.20x, Bomb - 0.10x, Jar - 0.06x, and Meat - 0.02x the stake.

These are individual rewards, and they are multiplied by the number of the respective symbol, part of the Spread combo. If symbols occupy more than one position, they are counted accordingly, except for the wilds, which are always counted as one. Scatters pay no cash prizes but can activate the bonus.

Horde 2 Winter comes with a configurable and highly detailed betting range. The minimum wager is €0.10, but on many online casinos, we have found it to be €1. The maximum also varies and can exceed €1000 per spin. However, staking such sums is quite a risky endeavor because of the unknown RTP rate.

PlayStar prefers not to share this crucial information despite the GLI and BMM audit certifications the company is proud of. The levels of volatility remain in the medium tier, just like with the For The Horde slot. The max win is unchanged, too - 1,000x the bet and it isn't high enough to compensate for the lack of RTP information.

Horde 2 Winter Features

Despite the unique payout system, Horde 2 Winter is also packed with symbol swaps, and a NetEnt bonus with a special booster. The gameplay is dynamic in the base game and bonus spins, thanks to the relatively high Hit Frequency rate. Keep in mind that multipliers are the key here because, without them, it will be hard to stay above the water.

Silver Frames & Gold Frames

Regular symbols on reels 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 that occupy 2 positions may have Silver Frames on any spin. If any of them is part of a winning combination, they will activate the Symbol Transformation feature. After the cascade is over, they will swap to another regular symbol and will get Gold Frames around themselves.

Moreover, if more cascades follow and a symbol with Gold Frame is part of the Spread cluster, it will transform into a wild. It will act as such in the next tumble and will help for the prolonging of the cascading sequence.

Multipliers

Symbols with Gold Frames also receive random multipliers, which stack in a pot beneath the reels if those symbols participate in a win. Wild symbols, if any, that are also part of winning clusters will be multiplied by the accumulated multiplier. The max total multiplier can reach x1,000.

Free Spins

Scatters, 4, 5, or 6 in view, at the same time, activate the bonus minigame and award 10, 12, or 15 free spins, respectively. Here comes the new element in the Horde 2 Winter slot - Multiplier Boost. A Wheel will spin to reveal a starting Free Spins multiplier from x2 to x100. All accumulated Gold Frames multipliers will be added to it during the bonus.

Moreover, the progressive multiplier does not reset between the bonus rounds but grows progressively to reach up to x1,000. If you land 4 or more scatters during the minigame, the combination will award 5 extra free spins. The maximum length of the bonus is 200 free rounds.

Lucky Strike

Lucky Strike is a Bonus Buy feature, which will be disabled above a certain bet threshold. The tool might be unavailable in certain regions where these features are restricted by regulators. Lucky Strike in Horde 2 Winter provides only one option - a bonus trigger for a price of 100x the bet. It's more expensive and less versatile compared to For The Horde.

Theme & Graphics

Horde 2 Winter is based on a Fantasy theme, indeed, but in a cartoonish variant, just like the first game from the series. Graphics are of the finest quality, but images and animations are a bit childish, just like most of the audio effects. Indeed, the perception is that orcs are not the smartest of all creatures, and still, I prefer playing the slot muted.

Then again, that is not a flaw by lack of skill or development technology, but an intended move by the provider. PlayStar stays away from too serious themes and designs. It prefers to focus on HTML5 and intriguing mechanics, like the Spread engine. So, if you are looking for another adventure in Azeroth, be advised that the reality here is of another, simpler dimension.

Pros And Cons Of Horde 2 Winter Slot

Our Verdict

Surprisingly or not, there are not many online slots based on the World of Warcraft franchise. Even if we lower our criteria, the number of slots is scarce, so Horde 2 Winter might achieve significant success among fans of fantasy games. Perhaps one of the reasons is that MMORPG players rarely explore other genres, especially those that involve risk.

Horde 2 Winter is a nice mobile slot with exciting mechanics and popular features. Multipliers are always on the trend, especially when mixed with wild symbols and cascades. The Spread mechanic is interesting, but further tests are required. It works on the principle of Cluster Pays, but any type of symbol can connect to create a winning path.

Regarding Silver Frames, this is not a new element, but it's well-utilized by PlayStar. The path to the desired wild multiplies is long, but it's definitely worth it in the base game and free spins. The most significant issue with Horde 2 Winter is the lack of a payout rate. PlayStar must start sharing this information, or otherwise, it'll suffer the consequences. If you want to try and defeat the winter, we have a free Horde 2 Winter demo as part of this review.