Reign of Rome (Hacksaw Gaming) Slot Review

Reign of Rome: Slot Overview 

Hacksaw Gaming continues to flex its creative muscles with Reign of Rome, a gritty, militaristic slot that resurrects the fierce legacy of Ancient Rome. This 5×5, 19-payline title released on April 24, 2025, harnesses the studio’s signature LootLines mechanic—a concept first seen in 2024’s Donny Dough and Marlin Masters. But this time, it’s weaponized with a trio of escalating bonus rounds and volatile Tribute symbol gameplay. 

Reign of Rome doesn’t tiptoe into its theme—it marches in fully armored, delivering a no-nonsense experience packed with power multipliers, cash tribute symbols, and an ambitious max win potential of 15,000x your stake. With its high volatility, a respectable 96.27% RTP, and a 27% hit frequency, this slot is poised to be a bruiser for the bold.

Design and Graphics 

Reign of Rome is all about grit. The visual design ditches polish for something harsher and more war-torn. The reels are encased in a stone backdrop, flanked by two stoic Roman legionnaires, one of whom raises his sword as if waiting for your command to charge. The color palette is dominated by reds, greys, and charcoals, echoing the battlefield aesthetic and echoing the look of other Hacksaw classics like Gladiator Legends or Wanted Dead or a Wild. The symbols range from stone-carved card ranks (J to A) to thematic icons like swords, helmets, goblets, eagles, and lions. Tribute symbols appear in bold bronze frames, instantly recognizable and emotionally satisfying when several land at once. It’s not flashy, but it fits the weighty tone of the game perfectly.

Gameplay Mechanics 

Reign of Rome’s core gameplay blends standard paylines with cascade wins and Tribute Symbols, all wrapped around the LootLines mechanic. Wins are awarded for 3+ matching symbols across 19 paylines, and winning symbols are removed to allow for cascading symbols to fall in, creating chain reactions. 

Where things get more interesting is with the Tribute Symbols, which come in four variations: 

• Adding Tribute: Value from 1x to 10x (or up to 500x if revealed) 

• Multiplying Tribute: Multiplies values by 2x to 5x (or up to 25x if revealed) 

• Revealing Adding: Reveals Addings worth 15x to 500x 

• Revealing Multiplying: Reveals Multipliers worth 6x to 25x 

The LootLine is a unique formation where a payline of Tribute Symbols is formed. Here, Addings are summed, and Multipliers are applied based on their position—Multipliers on the left of the LootLine are counted as Addings. 

It’s an engaging mechanic because of its layer of strategic value: the position of symbols matters, not just their type. This adds a deeper level of interaction than a typical scatter-pay or simple wild multiplier.

Sound and Music 

The soundtrack of Reign of Rome goes for intensity over subtlety. Expect pounding drums, atmospheric stabs, and the occasional clanging of swords. The sound design builds tension when Tribute symbols land or when you’re on the verge of forming a LootLine. Hacksaw keeps things immersive without being overbearing—perfect for those extended bonus hunts. 

During free spins, the audio elevates with a heightened sense of urgency, backed by a deeper rhythm section and metallic effects whenever modifiers drop. Voiceover shouts or triumphant tones might have added an extra punch, but the current mix still sets the tone well.

Bonus Features 

Reign of Rome features three escalating bonus rounds and five bonus buy options, giving it a rich set of mechanics for bonus hunters and grinders alike.Path to Power (3 scatters) 

10 Free Spins 

Mechanics same as base game 

Increased chance of high-value Tribute symbols 

+2 or +4 spins for 2/3 scatters 

This Is Rome (4 scatters) 

10 Free Spins 

Non-winning Tribute symbols with at least 1 appearing on a reel are stored on the LootBar beneath that reel 

When 5 LootBar positions are full, prizes are paid and the bar resets 

+2 or +4 spins for 2/3 retriggering scatters 

Fight For Glory (5 scatters) 

10 Free Spins 

Each LootBar starts with a 20x multiplier 

Non-winning Tributes are added to the LootBar 

End-of-round payout from all five bars 

Cannot be directly purchased—must be triggered organically 

The Fight For Glory round is clearly the most desirable, but the 5-scatter trigger requirement adds an air of exclusivity and high volatility. Still, for players who love the thrill of chasing rare features, this adds meaningful long-term engagement. 

Bonus Buys 

Hacksaw gives players five options to bypass the base game: BonusHunt FeatureSpins – 3x bet, 5x chance to trigger a bonus 

Shield Wall FeatureSpins – 50x bet, guarantees 3+ Tribute wins 

Spears Out FeatureSpins – 50x bet, guarantees 3+ Tribute wins + 1 Revealing Tribute 

Path To Power Buy – 100x bet 

This Is Rome Buy – 200x bet 

Interestingly, Fight for Glory is not purchasable, which maintains its rarity and allure. This is a clever move, amplifying its appeal and giving a reason to keep playing the base game.

Betting Options and Payouts 

Reign of Rome is designed to cater to a wide player base with a betting range from €0.10 to €100. This flexibility ensures that both casual spinners and high rollers can engage with the game’s features comfortably. 

With a max win of 15,000x and a Hit Frequency of 27%, Reign of Rome sits comfortably in the high-volatility camp without veering into unbearable dry spells. The max RTP of 96.27% is solid, though be aware it may shift slightly depending on the bonus buy option selected. Hacksaw is known for its variable RTP models, so always check the configuration on offer. 

Wins from standard symbols range from: 

• 2.5x for 5 royal symbols 

• 5x to 10x for 5 picture symbols 

Tribute combinations, especially with multipliers, can lead to significantly larger hits, often hundreds of times your stake, especially when activated during the bonus rounds.

Conclusion 

Reign of Rome brings the thunder—and the Tribute. Hacksaw Gaming’s creative expansion of the LootLines mechanic makes this slot more than just a war-themed reskin. The clever interplay of Tribute values and multipliers with reel position strategy keeps things fresh, while the three-tiered bonus system provides an escalating sense of risk and reward. 

Although Fight For Glory being unpurchasable may frustrate the most impatient bonus buyers, it introduces a layer of scarcity and desirability that deepens the gameplay. And despite lacking wilds, the clever symbol cascade system and the LootBar mechanic provide more than enough win potential to keep the adrenaline flowing. 

With slick visuals, layered mechanics, and the potential for 15,000x wins, Reign of Rome confidently marches into Hacksaw’s upper ranks. For players craving structure and savagery in equal measure, this is one empire well worth exploring.