Decay (Hacksaw Gaming) – Slot Review
Decay transports players into a dark and unsettling horror world, combining abandoned surroundings, sinister characters and disturbing scientific elements. The overall presentation creates a bleak atmosphere that reflects the game’s name and reinforces its macabre identity. The reels feature mysterious characters set against dark, distressed backgrounds, giving the impression of a world that has been abandoned and left to deteriorate. The game’s grim visual style is complemented by the presence of the Mad Scientist, adding an experimental and sinister element to the setting.
The horror theme is further reflected in the game’s special features. SwitchSpins progressively replace selected symbols with higher-value symbols or Wilds, while the Mad Scientist and Total Takeover bonuses increase the intensity of the experience. The Total Takeover feature is particularly fitting, as the reels can gradually become dominated by valuable symbols and Wilds.
Overall, Hacksaw Gaming combines dark horror, decay and sinister experimentation to create an atmospheric and unsettling theme. The gloomy visuals and transformation-based mechanics work together effectively, giving Decay a distinctive identity within the developer’s darker catalogue.
Decay is played across 6 reels with 35 fixed paylines. The slot features high volatility, an RTP of 96.27%, and a maximum win capped at 10,000x your stake. Bets range from £0.10 to £100 per spin.
Decay Symbols & Pay Table
There are 14 symbols in total. The five low-paying symbols are represented by 10, J, Q, K and A, while five premium symbols feature mysterious characters displayed against Red, Yellow, Green and Black backgrounds. Special symbols include the Wild, Total Takeover Scatter, Mad Scientist Scatter and Switch Symbol. The Wild is the highest-paying symbol, awarding 50x for six across a pay line, and substitutes for all regular paying symbols.
Decoy Features & Mechanics
SwitchSpins
Landing the Switch Symbol activates the SwitchSpins feature, a special type of respin in which selected symbols are replaced by either the game’s highest-paying symbol or Wilds.
The feature can award between 1 and 10 respins. Whenever another Switch Symbol lands, additional symbols are selected for replacement and extra respins are awarded.
The symbol being used for the replacements and the number of remaining SwitchSpins are displayed above the grid, while the positions selected for replacement are shown in the centre of the screen. Once the current set of SwitchSpins ends, the selected replacement positions are reset. If a bonus feature is triggered while SwitchSpins are active, the current SwitchSpins sequence must finish before the bonus begins.
Mad Scientist Bonus
Landing 3 Mad Scientist Scatters simultaneously during the base game triggers the Mad Scientist Bonus, awarding 10 Free Spins. During the feature, the chance of landing Switch Symbols is increased compared with the base game, providing more opportunities to activate SwitchSpins.
Landing 3 Total Takeover Scatters during the Mad Scientist Bonus upgrades the feature to the Total Takeover Bonus at the end of the current spin. The Free Spins counter is also restored to 10 spins.
Total Takeover Bonus
Landing 3 Total Takeover Scatters simultaneously in either the base game or Mad Scientist Bonus triggers the Total Takeover Bonus, awarding 10 Free Spins. This feature further increases the chance of landing Switch Symbols. Unlike the standard SwitchSpins mechanic, symbols selected for replacement are permanently retained throughout the bonus, allowing players to progressively take over the grid.
Each successful SwitchSpins sequence adds further positions to the takeover. The ultimate objective is to fill the entire grid with either the highest-paying symbol or Wilds, creating the potential for significantly larger wins. Landing 3 Total Takeover Scatters during the feature awards 4 additional Free Spins.
Conclusion
Decay delivers a dark and feature-focused experience, built around the SwitchSpins mechanic and its ability to progressively replace symbols with higher-paying symbols or Wilds. The Total Takeover Bonus is the clear highlight, allowing players to permanently retain replaced positions and work towards filling the entire grid.
The Mad Scientist Bonus also adds extra potential by increasing the frequency of Switch Symbols, while the Total Takeover feature takes the concept further with persistent progress throughout the Free Spins.
With a 96.27% RTP, high volatility and a 10,000x maximum win, Decay offers solid potential, although the high variance can make its biggest rewards difficult to reach. Be sure to try out this game on launch and check out our exclusive casino offers.