Prepare to ride into town with a band of outlaws in Dead or Alive 2. The original Dead or Alive game was released in 2009 and now, over 10 years later, NetEnt have delivered a much-anticipated sequel. Our first impression is that Dead or Alive 2 boasts better graphics, smoother gameplay, and an immersive soundtrack – not to mention an epic free spins bonus round. Read on for our full Dead or Alive 2 slots review where we’ll be covering:

• How to play Dead or Alive 2
• The three bonus rounds on offer and which to choose
• Which symbols to look out for

How to play Dead or Alive 2

Dead or Alive 2 is a five reel, 3 row slot with nine possible paylines. The gameplay is straight forward to pick up, simply select your paylines and start spinning. To win, all players have to do is land three or more matching symbols on a line. We found playing Dead or Alive 2 felt reminiscent to the original game, but with much smoother controls and an updated design. There’s a real attention to detail in the visuals – we love the animal skulls and old bottles in the background of the reels, and the periodic hiss of a rattlesnake in the distance. Make no mistake, this is a truly immersive gaming experience.

Before playing for real money, we’d suggest trying the game for free in demo mode to get an idea of the symbols and style of the game. The highest paying symbol is the sheriff’s badge which rewards x100 a player’s stake for five across a payline. This is closely followed by a pistol, cowboy hat, cowboy boots, and whiskey bottles, with classic playing cards as the lower paying symbols. One special touch is that the five wild symbols are represented by an individual outlaw – you’ll see Apache the Kid on reel one, Della Rose on reel two, Jesse James on reel three, Belle Star on reel four, and Billy the Kid on reel five.

Dead or Alive 2 jackpots and bonuses

Dead or Alive 2 offers not one, but three free spins bonus games. To trigger a free spins mode, players will need to hit three scatter symbols (a bull skull with two crossed revolvers) on any of the reels. This will award players twelve free spins and a choice of three bonus games: Train Heist, Old Saloon, and High Noon Saloon.

Train Heist is the lowest variance option. For each wild symbol that lands on the reels, the multiplier will increase by x1 and give players an extra free spin. Lucky players will be able to reach a huge x16 multiplier – if a player gets this far, they’ll also be rewarded with an extra five free spins.

Old Saloon is the medium variance option and follows the same format as the original Dead or Alive game. All winnings are increased by a x2 multiplier and a wild on all five reels will give an extra five free spins. The wilds are sticky here which makes it slightly easier to get five on a reel – a nice touch.

High Noon Saloon is the most volatile option to choose. Whenever two wild symbols land on the same reel, they’ll transform into a x2 multiplier, and if three land in the same reel, they’ll transform into a x3 multiplier. If any of these wilds contribute towards the same win, they will multiply together, for example a x2 multiplier and a x3 multiplier will award a x6 multiplier.

It’s hard to choose out of the three. We like Old Saloon as it guarantees all of a player’s winnings will receive a x2 multiplier. On the other hand, there’s big money to be made with High Noon Saloon. This option has a high volatility, meaning the payouts are larger but also less frequent – so it’s a better choice for patient players who can frequently replenish their bankroll.

Dead or Alive 2 mobile options

Released in 2019, Dead or Alive 2 is made for mobile. NetEnt know their stuff and have ensured that all of the game’s great features appear on the mobile version, including the free spin rounds, cut scenes, and animations. We tested the game on iOS and Android devices and found that the slot worked smoothly on both operating systems. The layout has been shifted around slightly for the smaller screen, but in general it feels very similar to playing on desktop.

Conclusion

Dead or Alive 2 is the sequel we were hoping for. The design and storyline of the game are superb which is nicely complimented by interesting bonus rounds and beginner-friendly gameplay. Though we would have liked to have seen a progressive jackpot, we were highly impressed with the free spins bonus games which at times can be just as much fun. There’s very little to fault here, we’d recommended giving Dead or Alive 2 a go for yourself.