Pandemic Rising

Pandemic Rising Slot Review

Pandemic Rising is a New Slot released by Pragmatic Play that addresses the threats posed by global pandemics. It would be a nice option for those who adore thriller novels about deadly viruses. The game transports players to a modern, densely populated metropolis that remains unaware of the danger looming over their lives.

Against the backdrop of towering skyscrapers, you can see large containers marked for the transport of dangerous biological cargoes. Regrettably, during the transport process, one of the containers sustained damage, which allowed an infected monkey to escape, initiating the following deadly pandemic. The soundtrack is another highlight of the game, accurately capturing the nightmare chaos of a coming pandemic. However, the game is valuable not only for its design and spicy plot, but also for its elaborate gameplay saturated with bonus features. For now, let's dive deeper into the rules of this video slot.

Pandemic Rising Play Free Demo

But first, let us note that there is no need to jump straight into real money play. You can try Pandemic Rising in demo mode, which uses virtual currency. In the meantime, a Free Slot preserves all the characteristics of the Real-Money Slot, including winning frequency and Free Spins generosity.

Therefore, savvy gamblers often tend to familiarize themselves with a game’s patterns through demo play first. That strategy helps them to determine whether a title is worth playing. Additionally, the Pandemic Rising demo version allows budget-conscious players to save their balance while still enjoying exciting entertainment.

Once you wish to try your luck while betting with real money, follow the link we provide on this page to join the recommended casino. Rest assured, we promote only fully verified casino websites.

Pandemic Rising Bonus Features

Pandemic Rising features a 5x4 playfield with 40 fixed paylines. The minimum number of matching symbols in a prize sequence is three. Winning symbols must be neighbors, and the combo must start from the leftmost reel. There are six high-paying symbols and five low-paying ones, with payouts ranging from x20 to x0.1.

Expert note: Although payouts don’t seem particularly impressive, Wild multipliers up to x10 are capable of making the base mode quite generous and, as a result, highly engaging.

Wild

This symbol spawns exclusively within the 2-4 reel area and substitutes for any paying symbol except special symbols (Bonus and Virus). In both the base and bonus modes, any Wild symbol carries a multiplier (ranging from x1 to x10) that is applied to a win coming from a combination that involves it. If several Wilds are participating in a prize sequence, their multiplier values are summed before applying. 

Bonus Symbol

This one hits the 1st, 3rd, and 5th reels. Land three Bonus symbols to trigger a bonus mini-game, featuring eight Free Spins.

Free Spins (FS)

During the FS Round, Virus symbols can hit the screen.

Virus Symbols

Virus symbols can appear only during Free Spins, being collected by the left-positioned meter that aims to increase the global multiplier (x1-x100) applied to all wins harvested throughout Free Spins. Each third Virus symbol collected advances the multiplier to the next level and yields a single Free Spin. By the way, when the bonus game is launched, the x1 multiplier is already activated.

Wild

During Free Spins, all landed Wilds are stuck in their spots until the current bonus game finishes.

Special Bets

There are two types of special bets available for players.

Ante Bet

Enabling this option costs 300% of your stake per round and increases the chances of triggering Free Spins by 10x.

Super Spin

Each Super Spin guarantees at least one randomly positioned Wild, yet it will cost 10 times the stake per round while this option remains enabled.

Buy Free Spins

Furthermore, this Bonus Buy Slot lets you trigger Free Spins by simply purchasing them—an ordinary bonus mini-game costs x100 times the stake.

Buy Super Free Spins

Additionally, the Super FS option is available, offering a player at least two sticky Wilds with random multipliers during the first free spin.

Pandemic Rising RTP, Max Win, and Volatility 

It’s a very High-Volatility Slot, with the maximum possible win of 14,000 times the bet. Your odds of grabbing the most significant prize are 1 in 77,519,380 spins. Fortunately, the chances of striking the x1,000 by the bet are only 1 in 69,213 rounds. Base game winning and Free Spins frequency are also moderate, being 1 in 3.94 and 1 in 399.79, respectively.

Expert hint: The RTP for this slot ranges from 94.51% to 96.51%. So, carefully pick the game with the highest return-to-player value.

Our Experience Playing Pandemic Rising

After reviewing this game’s features in detail, we conducted a 300-spin gaming session, setting a €1 stake per round and funding a €200 playing budget. It was the best RTP slot (96.51%).

The first hundred spins allowed us to enjoy two bonus games, which altogether yielded €187.35. Furthermore, we got several chunky cash prizes throughout base game playtime (x88.9, x16.2, x15, x13.75, x11, x10.5). Only these six winnings brought us an extra €155.35. The total number of ordinary cash prizes was 34, of which 22 exceeded the bet. Once the 100th spin was over, we had €492.05.

The next hundred spins didn’t please us with any bonus game trigger, generating 26 ordinary wins (€0.1—€6.6). Only seven cash prizes exceeded the stake amount. As a result, after the 200th hour, our gaming balance downsized to €414.9.

Unfortunately, the last hundred spins didn’t trigger Free Spins, either. Instead, we had 27 cash prizes, ranging from €0.1 to €46. Overall, there were as many as three massive wins (x46, x19.5, x13.5). When all 300 spins were eventually played out, our balance amounted to €424.65.

Key takeaways: The best part of the base gameplay is that there are Multiplier Wilds, making it possible to collect chunky prizes not only within the scope of Free Spins. Plus, many wins (40 vs. 47) exceed the current bet amount. On top of that, within the bonus gameplay featuring Free Spins, Wilds become sticky, advancing the player’s winning potential way further. Let alone, extra Free Spins are regularly awarded. However, the starting number of Free Spins (8) and the total number of additional Free Spins (9) seem far too small. Besides this drawback, the slot looks like an alluring title with balanced gameplay that keeps you entertained throughout the whole playtime, not just within the bonus game duration. 

Expert distillation: Pandemic Rising is high volatility, mostly about spiking wins via sticky Wild multipliers and a growing global multiplier (up to x100) in Free Spins.

Pandemic Rising Strategy and Tips

Video slots use an integrated RNG algorithm. Therefore, it is entirely impossible to have a strategy guaranteeing you a consistent win streak. However, a well-thought-out approach to gambling can decrease losses and prolong playtime:

• Examine the slot through the demo version first. Utilize free demo mode to explore the game's payouts and patterns, all without risking your money.
• Look for a reputable casino with the slot version that has the best RTP. Play at licensed sites using the slot's highest-RTP version (96.51%), as lower RTPs (95.51% or 94.51%) reduce long-term returns.
• Take advantage of casino bonuses. Use bonus offers to play with extra funds (check wagering requirements).
• Manage your bankroll wisely. Very high volatility provokes prolonged dry spells and big hits far apart. Given the claimed FS frequency (1 in 400 spins), aim for bets sized at 1/400 of your bankroll.
• Use 'Bonus Buy' options wisely. 'Buy Bonus' options will allow you to skip the base gameplay for the sake of chasing generous bonus jackpots, but come with bigger risks of losing money. Utilize them only if your bankroll can handle multiple buys in a row.
• Use the 'Ante Bet' option for more frequent triggers. The enabled 'Ante Bet' option amplifies bonus game trigger odds tenfold.
• Try to survive until the Free Spins Round. Sticky Multiplier Wilds and a global multiplier kick in during the bonus mini-game, generating the most significant payouts. While you’re playing the main game, it's best to focus on just getting through until you hit that bonus. Try not to make things worse by increasing your bets when you're on a losing streak. Patience is key.
• Don't chase your losses. High volatility can be frustrating—walk away after a big win or when down a set amount. Adhere to your settled restrictions (playing budget, session time limit, etc.), leaving the game once you've hit your pre-set win or loss limits.

You must remember that the house always has the edge, ensuring its long-term profitability. Play for enjoyment, bet sensibly, and don't be afraid to seek help if you need it. Good luck!

Buy Free Spins

We purchased Free Spins three times:

As you can see, after three attempts, we even came out ahead, but only after the third purchase of the bonus game, which eloquently demonstrates the riskiness of this method of playing. Use this method of chasing wins only if your balance allows you to buy several bonus games in a row.

Buy Super Free Spins

Also, we had experience in purchasing Super FS Rounds:

As these results show, purchasing Super Free Spins is even riskier.

Our Verdict

To conclude this slot review, this is a well-done game with excellent graphics and a melody that perfectly conveys the horror of what is happening. Although Pragmatic Play typically delights its fans with kind, cozy stories, this time the company is switching on to horror fans who enjoy zombies, shootouts, and various deadly diseases. Pragmatic Play's attempt was generally successful, and the game is quite capable of attracting several gamblers with specific interests. Yet, a significant advantage of many similar games from Nolimit City is that they offer huge maximum winnings, ranging from tens to hundreds of thousands of times the initial bet.

Thanks to Multiplier Wilds, Pandemic Rising's gameplay is capable of delighting players with pleasant winnings both in the main game and during the bonus game. However, their effectiveness increases significantly during Free Spins because they become sticky ones. The conditions for receiving additional Free Spins are simple enough to extend the bonus game regularly. Its only significant drawback is the small number of initial Free Spins (8) and additional ones (9).

Expert tip: If you’re a fan of horror-themed games boasting a chunky jackpot, here are several Nolimit titles you can try right on our site: Mental 2 (max prize: x99,999), xWays Hoarder 2 (max prize: x25,920), and Blood & Shadow 2 (max prize: x16,161).