Member Reviews

Fans of steampunk and cyberpunk have had an awesome few years recently. These usually forgotten settings saw an explosion in popularity, and we could not be happier as a result. And while our personal leanings are further on steampunk, the idea of bright neon lights, corporate oppression and a gloomy future with a tiny sliver of hope to be redeemed makes cyberpunk an amazing setting.

But who will be this saviour we so desperately need, that will bring an end to corporate tyranny? Enter our fierce futuristic samurai, whose power over time-travel will cut the problem down before it even begins.

Join her on the journey to become the Shogun of Time, and along the way, you will pick up a few special features: Reel Split re-spins, free spins that pay both ways, stacked Wilds and expanding reels.

Developer

Just For The Win is among the newer names in the slots business, kick-started thanks to their partnership with Microgaming. In fact, they are just one of several new studios that recently signed the deal to produce content and release it under the Microgaming umbrella.

The idea is solid in theory, as it gives each developer a few months to work on their game, while allowing for a consistent release schedule every month.

The company is based out of Gothenburg in Sweden, and houses a total of 20 developers. Their most recent title was Reel Talent, which was very well received. The question is, can Just For the Win repeat its success?

How to Play it

The slot is played on a 4×3 board with 81 ways to win, and has the possibility to expand into a 5×3 playing field with 243 ways to win during the free spins special feature. As there are no paylines, players cannot choose to turn certain paylines on and off in order to lower their minimum bet.

Instead, wagers are set by changing the total bet by pressing the button just above the Spin, and selecting the cash value you want to bet. The user interface is the same one used in other Just For The Win releases, with a swapped colour palette to better fit the background image.

Gamblers can set their bets between $0.10 up to $100 per spin, which is a fantastic betting spread for both casual players and high rollers. You can make use of the Autoplay options, but they only allow you to choose how many auto spins you would like to play. There are no win or loss limits, or the ability to pause autoplay if any bonuses are won.

The game looks fantastic, as the background image allows you to peak out at the sprawling city-scape outside of our shogun’s apartment. Within it is a large holographic projector, a pair of beautiful plants kept alive in tubes, and a few cables strewn around. It makes for a nice mixture of minimalism and beauty that help it stand out all the more. Certain symbols have small, idle movements even when nothing is happening, and the screen transition into free spins is gorgeous. The best we have seen? Not even close. Good looking regardless? Absolutely.

Special Features

During normal gameplay, a win with four symbols in succession has a chance of triggering the Reel Split re-spin. An additional reel is created between the second and third reel, and it spins, while everything else is locked in place. The re-spin is played at 243 ways to win, and grants a win if the winning combination is expanded.

If you would like a more permanent expansion of the board, you will have to win the free spins bonus. To do so, you need to collect three or four Scatters, that reward eight or sixteen free spins, respectively.

Said free spins are all played on a 5×3 playing field with 243 ways to win, and all wins pay both left to right and right to left. Finally, the middle reel is a stacked Wild until the extra turns end.

Maximum Payouts

The largest possible win is worth 2717x your total stake, which is a great win for a medium volatility title. The RTP for Shogun of Time is 96.02%, which is average compared to other releases.

Summary

While we would not put it in the same category as Reel Talent, this Just for the Win slot has shown it is able to stand on its own.

It has decent graphics, and the gameplay is interesting, even if we are not big fans of reel expansion as a mechanic. It will entertain you for a few days, before you move on to the latest and greatest.