Chernobyl - Review, Demo Play, Payout, Free Spins & Bonuses

Introduction

Released in summer 2020, Chernobyl is a classic-style slot based on the infamous nuclear reactor accident in 1986. The game's main feature is a free spins round that includes an expanding bonus symbol feature, which is triggered by a scatter symbol that also functions as a wild. Wins in the base game can be gambled.

Theme, graphics & soundtrack

Unlike many history themed slots, Chernobyl is based directly on an event that is still well within living memory. The artwork and sound depict the eerie aftermath of the nuclear disaster - a contaminated landscape devoid of life. Semi-translucent reels are framed in cracked concrete, with the payline numbers on either side showing in chipped paint. The shell of the destroyed power station, broken pylons and rubble form the atmospheric backdrop for the game.

The symbols on the reels include the power station itself, which serves as both the wild and the scatter symbol and is animated with a giant mushroom cloud. Other symbols include a Geiger counter, a worker in a radiation suit, a contamination warning sign and a firetruck. The lack of music in the main game adds to the bleak feel of Chernobyl, with only mechanical sound effects accompanying the spins and wins. In stark contrast, atmospheric electronic music accompanies the ten free spins.

Chernobyl RTP & volatility

Chernobyl has a RTP of 94.03 per cent and is rated as a high volatility game.

How to play Chernobyl

1. Once the game has loaded, check the information (i) icon at the bottom for the paytable and information on the free spins bonus. Use the arrow next to the information icon to page through the rules.

2. Set the amount you want to bet by using the + and - buttons to either side of the lines, bet per line and credit windows.

3. If you want to use autoplay, toggle the autoplay button on. The reels will spin automatically for an unlimited number of times until you toggle it off. There are no loss or balance limits and the gamble feature is disabled during autoplay.

4. The sound and full-screen options can be found to the top right of the screen.

5. Press the start button for your first spin, always remembering to play responsibly.

Bet sizes & paytable wins

You can play up to 10 lines per bet on Chernobyl and bet up to 10 credits per line. You can also alter the size of your credits from 0.01 to 1. Paytable wins are expressed as multiples of your bet per line.

- Power station (wild and scatter)

5 = 2,000
4 = 200
3 = 20

- Power station worker

5 = 5,000
4 = 1,000
3 = 100
2 = 10

- Firetruck

5 = 2,000
4 = 400
3 = 40
2 = 5

- Geiger counter, radiation warning sign

5 = 750
4 = 100
3 = 3
2 = 5

- Ace, king

5 = 150
4 = 40
3 = 5

Queen, jack, ten

5 = 100
4 = 25
3 = 5

Chernobyl bonus features

Chernobyl comes with three features: the free spins bonus game, which includes the expanding bonus symbol feature, and the gamble feature, which appears in the base game only.

- Free spins and expanding bonus feature

The free spins bonus game is triggered by three power station scatter symbols and begins by making a random selection for the expanding bonus symbol. The selected symbol acts like an expanding wild during the 10 free spins. After each spin, and after regular symbols have paid out, the bonus symbol may expand to cover an entire reel, depending on whether there are sufficient symbols to form wins. The scatter cannot replace a bonus symbol during the free spins game, but three scatters can retrigger a further 10 free spins.

- Gamble feature

During the base game, you can choose to gamble or collect each win. The gamble feature is a red/black card game, where you can double your winnings for a correct prediction or lose them for an incorrect prediction. The maximum gamble amount is 50,000; therefore, the gamble feature is disabled for any wins greater than 50,000.

Our verdict

While this 5 Men Gaming slot demo is themed on a very recent disaster, it evokes the bleak atmosphere of the aftermath rather than the event itself. The bleakness continues into the gameplay, where there can be significant waits for anything to happen due to the high volatility and lower-than-average RTP.

Unlike many slots with a gamble feature, there seems to be no limit to the number of times you can gamble your win - we managed seven wins before losing - but there is a maximum bet limit of 50,000. You can test out this game in demo mode here at Slots Temple before deciding whether to play for real money at an online casino.

If the high volatility and theme of Chernobyl are not what you are looking for, Bally's medium volatility Titanic online slot, based on the movie rather than the event, is a good alternative.

Disclaimer: Chernobyl trademark / license is owned by 5 Men Gaming. This site is not endorsed by 5 Men Gaming.