Dead Man's Trail (Relax Gaming) Slot Review

Dead Man’s Trail: Slot Overview 

Dead Man’s Trail is Relax Gaming’s dive into the darker waters of pirate-themed slot adventures, released on September 7, 2021. This high-volatility slot trades the cheerful high seas clichés for a moody, mysterious vibe drenched in stormy skies, shantytowns, and gritty rogues. With a haunting soundtrack and a cinematic bonus game that plays out like a treasure hunt on a cursed map, Dead Man’s Trail promises a unique detour from traditional Relax titles. 

Played across a 5×4 grid with 40 paylines, this slot blends standard base game action with a rich, feature-laden bonus called the Dead Man’s Trail Bonus. Supporting a solid RTP of 96.29%, or 98% when using the bonus buy, and an enormous max win of 50,000x, the game invites high-risk seekers to sail into the unknown. There’s also a Dream Drop jackpot version with a reduced RTP of 94.0%, offering progressive jackpot potential.

Design and Graphics 

From the moment the reels load, Dead Man’s Trail sets a haunting tone. Instead of the usual sun-soaked Caribbean pirate fantasy, the slot opens in a foreboding coastal town under grey clouds. The interface is framed by the moorings of a battered port and the decaying timbers of a ghost ship—clearly, this is no friendly pirate’s cove.Symbol design enhances the grim narrative. Premiums are a crew of hardened scoundrels: a brooding eyepatch-wearer, a female captain with a sharp stare, a shady governor, and a bald brute with a tattooed scalp. The background visuals suggest mystery, while the trail bonus map is beautifully illustrated, complete with jagged cliffs and secret coves. 

The visual tone is darker than what we typically expect from Relax Gaming, giving Dead Man’s Trail a gritty edge that feels refreshing in a saturated theme.

Gameplay Mechanics 

At its core, Dead Man’s Trail operates with a fairly classic layout: 5 reels, 4 rows, and 40 paylines. Players win by landing matching symbols from left to right starting from reel one. Symbols are split between four high-paying character symbols and four card royals (J–A). 

Premium symbols pay 5x to 30x the stake for five of a kind. 

Wilds substitute for all symbols and are also the most valuable, awarding 60x the bet for five on a line. 

While base game spins may appear standard, Relax Gaming injects excitement with two special triggers: the Coin Feature and the Dead Man’s Trail Bonus—the latter being the heart of the experience.

Sound and Music 

Sound design in Dead Man’s Trail plays a central role in shaping its gloomy atmosphere. The ambient audio features ominous creaks, distant thunder, and eerie wind that immerse the player in a chilling pirate saga. When wins occur or features trigger, deeper orchestral flourishes accentuate the suspense and drama. 

The bonus game music shifts into high gear with a marching drumbeat and escalating tension as the player’s pawn traverses the trail map. Each step along the path feels deliberate, intensified by the looming risk of hitting an End Tile and watching all your progress disappear. The score is less about celebration and more about storytelling—and that suits this slot perfectly.

Bonus Features 

Coin FeatureOccasionally in the base game, special coin symbols land. These carry multiplier values and appear on any reel. If at least three different reels contain coins on a spin, the sum of all multipliers is paid to the player. It’s a modest but effective feature that breaks up the grind and offers consistent mini-wins while players chase the main event. 

Dead Man’s Trail Bonus Game 

Triggered by landing 3 or more bonus symbols, this is the slot’s flagship feature. Once triggered: 

The reels vanish. 

A trail map appears, populated with tiles and a moving pawn. 

Each turn, a number between 1 and 9 is rolled to determine the pawn’s movement. 

The player collects tile values or effects until landing on a Skull & Crossbones tile, which ends the round. 

The game starts with Normal Tiles (with base values), Chest Tiles (which trigger random effects), and End Tiles (which end the round). Each tile transforms into an End Tile after being visited, limiting how long the trail can continue. 

Chest Tile Actions (11 total) 

These add real strategic and win-enhancing layers: 

Scout: +100 to +1,000 to a random tile. 

One-Eye: Multiplies tile values x2–x5, 2–4 times. 

Commander: Adds +3 to +5 to all tiles. 

Collector: Collects values from all Normal Tiles to the total win. 

Collect & Command: Combines Collector and Commander. 

Reset: Replaces all End Tiles with new Normal Tiles. 

Super Reset: Replaces End Tiles with Mystery Chests. 

Coin Win: Adds a 25x–50x random coin win. 

Persistent Scout / One-Eye / Commander: Same as above, but repeat every turn. 

Bonus Buy OptionPlayers can buy into the bonus game directly for 100x the stake, where a bonus trigger is guaranteed. The theoretical RTP for this route increases to 98%, offering exceptional value—but beware, the bonus is still volatile and can end abruptly with minimal returns if unlucky.

Betting Options and Payouts 

Dead Man’s Trail is accessible with a min bet of €0.10 and a max bet of €20, making it suitable for cautious players and mid-stake grinders alike. Combined with a max win potential of 50,000x, it’s a strong entry into the high-volatility niche Relax Gaming excels at. 

The base RTP sits at 96.29%, slightly above average. For players engaging the bonus buy, the increased RTP of 98% makes it one of the more rewarding buys on the market. However, this only softens the blow of variance—it doesn’t eliminate it.

Conclusion 

Relax Gaming took a bold turn with Dead Man’s Trail, veering away from its usual tone to deliver a slot that feels darker, more dangerous, and decidedly more intense. From the moment the bonus map unrolls, the tension is palpable. Each step around the trail is filled with hope, risk, and potential—just the kind of ride that high-volatility players live for. 

The trail bonus feels like an interactive board game—similar in spirit to Money Train 2, but distinctly its own thing. Rather than collecting symbols on reels, you’re navigating a map, dodging End Tiles, and stacking up modifiers that can unleash insane payouts. With enough persistence, it’s possible to hit individual tile rewards of up to 10,000x, and a total win cap of 50,000x. 

That said, this game won’t be for everyone. The base game can feel grindy, and triggering the feature—only to hit an End Tile early—can be frustrating. Even after buying in, there’s no guarantee of success. But if you enjoy high volatility, layered mechanics, and a dark pirate aesthetic, Dead Man’s Trail is one of Relax Gaming’s most memorable adventures yet.