Invictus Review – A Slot Fit for a Roman Pantheon

Hacksaw Gaming has built a reputation for dramatic, high-volatility online slots with a very unique visual style. Invictus, now hosted on PokerStars, keeps that tradition alive.

The monochrome, noir visuals are classic Hacksaw, with contrasting neon details that make the premium symbols really stand out against the bleak backdrop. It feels both vintage and modern at the same time, with aesthetics and music that make this online slot feel seriously distinctive. For players who enjoy high-volatility slots that mix multipliers, respins, and layered free spin modes, Invictus is a strong addition to PokerStars’ online casino catalogue of ancient-themed slots. 

• Developer: Hacksaw Gaming
• Game Layout: 5 reels × 4 rows
• Paylines: 14 fixed paylines (left to right)
• Volatility: High
• RTP: 94.34%
• Max Win: 10,000x bet
• Min/Max Bet: £0.10 – £5.00
• Bonus Features: Pantheon Multipliers, Olympian Respins, Temple of Jupiter,
• Immortal Gains, Dominus Maximus
• Special Symbols: Wild, Free Spins Scatter
• Playable On: Desktop, tablet, smartphones

Theme and Design: A Stormy Slot with Roman Reels

Invictus takes its name from the Latin word for “unconquered,” and that’s definitely the spirit running through this slot’s design. The reels sit within a ruined pantheon, sandwiched between two warrior statues, looking up at the sky. The greyscale graphics instantly set the gloomy mood, which is highlighted by bright neon paint on the symbols. 

The soundtrack in Invictus mirrors the mood they set out to portray, with layers of low, ominous tones mixed with a classical music score which has been remixed to sound like a modern beat.  It adds to the tension and reinforces the feeling of stepping into an ancient battleground. While it looks completely different to the more vibrant online slots hosted by PokerStars, it fits perfectly with Hacksaw’s signature style and is instantly recognisable to those familiar with the studio.

Core Gameplay: Evoking the Power of Invictus

The base game runs on a 5×4 grid with 14 fixed paylines, with wins landing when three or more matching symbols appear from left to right, starting on reel one. There are nine regular symbols, with low-paying royals paying up to 1x the bet for five-of-a-kind. The premium character symbols are where the bigger values sit, paying between 2x and 10x for a full payline. Wilds not only substitute for all regular symbols but also have their own payout of up to 10x for a five across payline.

On its own, the base game would be pretty straightforward, but once the Pantheon Multipliers and Olympian Respins features are thrown into the mix, it transforms it into something more fitting of an Ancient Empire. 

Pantheon Multipliers

One of the most defining features of Invictus is the Pantheon Multipliers that sit on either side of each row. On the left are Adding Multipliers, which randomly show values from 1x up to 100x before each spin. When a win forms on that row, the left multiplier is applied to the payout.

If the win includes high-paying symbols, however,  that left-side multiplier locks into place during the resulting respin, giving the chance for the payout to keep growing. On the right are the Multiplying Multipliers, which only come into play when a five-of-a-kind win spreads across the grid. These hidden values range from 2x right up to 20x. When triggered, they combine with the left-side multiplier to create a total multiplier that applies to the overall payout. 

For example, if the left side shows 25x and the right side reveals 10x, the total multiplier becomes 250x, applied to the payout from that row. It’s this combination system that gives Invictus its unpredictability and makes players feel like every spin has potential.

Olympian Respins

When wins include high-paying symbols or Wilds, the Olympian Respins feature kicks in, where the winning icons lock in place, and the rest of the reels respin. If the cluster grows, or if new high-paying wins form, the feature keeps going. Respins only end when no other positions can be filled.

Low-paying wins don’t trigger respins, but they are paid straight away. High-paying wins, however, are only paid out once the respin finishes, adding to the suspense as the locked symbols have the potential to build up to something even bigger.

One unique twist is that a win with five Wilds pays twice, once on landing, and again when the respin sequence finally ends. It’s a mechanic that rewards those who wait, and makes the spins with a lot of  Wilds even more exciting. 

Temple of Jupiter 

The first bonus feature, Temple of Jupiter, is activated by getting three scatter symbols in the base game. It starts with 10 free spins, and the base game mechanics stay the same, only with a better chance of higher multiplier values appearing. Extra scatters during this bonus add extra spins; for example, two scatters give +2 and three give +4. 

Multipliers and Growing Momentum

Landing four scatters unlocks Immortal Gains, a bonus round that takes the Temple of Jupiter mechanics and amplifies them. Once again, there are 10 free spins to start with, which can be retriggered. The big difference is that all left-side multipliers begin with a minimum of 5x. This means that even modest wins have a chance of stacking up, especially when the respins extend the combinations and the multipliers stay locked in.

Dominus Maximus 

The main feature in Invictus is Dominus Maximus, an epic bonus triggered only by landing five scatters. In this bonus, a Middle Multiplier is added to reel three, which is combined with the left and right multipliers, multiplying the left value whenever a win lands on reel three. 

When a full five-of-a-kind stretches across the reels, all three multipliers combine. The left, middle, and right values are multiplied together and then applied to the payout, which can really scale. The possible middle values range from 2x up to 20x, meaning a big combination can quickly snowball.

Other Top Hacksaw Gaming Titles on PokerStars

Hacksaw Gaming slots have become fan favourites on PokerStars, and it’s clear to see why. They combine vintage aesthetics with modern style, which makes them seem more like a warped version of 1930s cartoons. 

Booze Bash

Booze Bash shares the same monochrome style as Invictus, feeling more like a morbidly funny vintage speakeasy, with neon and old-school jazz. But under its retro visuals are plenty of modern mechanics. This slot is played on a 6×4 grid with Match-2-Win pairs, where each symbol comes as a left or right half, and wins can only form within reel pairs with Multiplier Pairs working the same way.

Guilty As Gin triggers with one Free Spins Pair for 10 spins and a higher shot at premiums, Wilds, and multipliers, with each extra pair adding +2 spins. Top-Shelf Trouble, which triggers after two free spin pairs, adds the Bash Bar, a seventh row that is applied after each spin to transform matching halves into wins, while Wilds and Multipliers still work on the main grid. The biggest feature of Booze Bash is Hell’s Happy Hour, which triggers after three Free Spins Pairs land. The Bash Bar can reveal anything, including Wilds, Multipliers, and even more Free Spins symbols, so the pace can quickly switch from relaxed to absolute chaos. 

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Chaos Crew II

Cranky Cat and Sketchy Skull return to PokerStars in Chaos Crew II, Hacksaw’s 5×5 paylines sequel that turns the weird and wild dial to the max. The base game keeps things exciting thanks to the Cranky Cat wild multipliers, which range from 2x up to 10x, that multiply wins. If more than one lands in the same win, their values multiply each other.

At any moment, the grid can turn into the bonus feature, which randomly transforms a base spin into a mini-bonus and injects at least five multiplier symbols before flipping back. But this is just a little taste of the main event, with the full Bonus beginning with three BONUS scatters and replaces pays with multiplier symbols while a three-life counter refills whenever a new symbol lands. Reel multipliers above each column start at 1x and can climb with every symbol.

Sketchy Skull adds to its reel once, Sticky Skull adds to its reel every spin, Epic Skull adds to all reels once, and Epic Sticky Skull adds to all reels every spin. Cranky Cat is also super useful during the bonus, multiplying the reel it lands on, or all reels in Epic variants, in one-off or sticky forms. When the lives finally run out, all reel multipliers are added together and multiplied by the bet before paying out. There’s also a Super Bonus for four scatters that guarantees at least seven multiplier symbols on the first spin, and a Best of Bonus twist where three full bonuses, or three Super Bonuses, play back-to-back and the highest value wins. 

Final Verdict: Face Invictus in the Pantheon

Hacksaw Gaming has once again created a stylish online slot with plenty of fun mechanics designed to escalate over time. The Pantheon Multipliers turn every payline win into a potential chain reaction, Olympian Respins keep high-paying combos alive, and the three tiers of free spins offer plenty of variety to players. For those who enjoy high-volatility action, multiplier mechanics, and Hacksaw Gaming’s signature impressive visuals, Invictus may just be their new favourite slot on PokerStars. 

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