Nolimit City’s slots tend to feature disturbing topics, and Remember Gulag is certainly no exception. This time, the developers at Nolimit City have stuck to a Soviet theme that combines important messages of remembrance and anti-war with gloomy imagery and satire.
On the more technical side of things, there are a total of 6 reels here, although two are unavailable in the base game, and you have a total of 144 ways to win. In typical Nolimit City fashion, players will have the opportunity to enjoy many types of extra features, like a selection of free spin game modes, multipliers, and Wild symbols with unique mechanics.
Remember Gulag Theme, Graphics, and Sounds
Remember Gulag features a theme surrounding the infamous Soviet forced-labour camps that were in operation in the first half of the 20th century. The tone of the slot is relatively grim, at least in the base game, which has a muted grayscale palette and reels framed by barbed wire. The Gulag Spins feature, when triggered, greets the players with a scene of a Gulag camp that is engulfed in a blizzard. Both backgrounds are animated well, and it is easy to appreciate how Nolimit City has, as always, done an impeccable job with the graphics.
Remember Gulag does also have a satirical side, which is first hinted at by the Saluting Bear symbol. It becomes even more blatant whenever you manage to land big wins, as the game screen is then covered with vibrant illustrations in the style of Soviet propaganda posters. In a final humorous twist, winning the largest payout is referred to as “Oligarch Status: Achieved” by the game. The music also showcases this dichotomy, since the soundtrack during the base game is an intimidating military march, while the music during the Gulag Spins mode is dramatic and inspirational.
Remember Gulag Symbols and Payouts
Remember Gulag has a total of 10 regular symbols, half of which are inspired by the Cyrillic alphabet and seem to visually suggest the suits of playing cards. The first three symbols award players 200x their base bet if they see 6 copies of the same icon on the reels. The King is the next symbol, and it has a payout of 275 times your base bet. Last but not least, we have the Ace-like icon that has a payout of 300x base bet.
On to the rest of the icons, the first one we will take a look at is the Saluting Bear, and 6 copies of this symbol pay out 400x base bet. The icon illustrating an individual with large, square-shaped glasses has the same payout. The symbols that follow depict a mysterious figure, as well as someone who seems to be a high-ranking military official, and both of these symbols pay out one’s base bet x500. The final regular symbol is an illustration of Stalin, and landing 6 copies nets a base bet x600 win.
As for this slot’s special symbols, the first one is the xWays symbol, which turns into random ordinary icons. Another interesting symbol is the xNudge Wild, which is Remember Gulag’s Stacked Wild. Ordinary Wild symbols are also featured in this slot. In addition, Remember Gulag has an interesting split mechanic, triggered by the xSplit Wild. The last symbol featured in this slot is the Red Badge, which is the official Scatter icon.
Remember Gulag Bonus Mechanics
As we have come to expect from Nolimit City, players will be able to take advantage of an abundance of extra features whenever they play Remember Gulag. The first such bonus is quite simple, and it is dubbed the Propaganda Bet. This is a type of bet that will increase your chances of triggering the Gulag Spins, and you are also guaranteed to get a scatter symbol on the second reel. In addition, the fifth reel is unlocked whenever you place such a bet. The Propaganda Bet costs 20% more than your original stake.
The feature that follows is called xWays, which is triggered by the xWays icon. This symbol only appears on the first and second reels during the base game, or the fifth and sixth reels during Gulag Spins, and it has the size of either 2 or 3 symbols. This icon’s most important characteristic is the fact that it reveals a regular symbol, and which symbol you get is RNG dependent. If you receive multiple xWays icons, they will all turn into the same symbol.
Next, we will focus on the xNudge Wild, which is a stacked Wild. Its size is increased by nudging upwards or downwards until the symbol has fully covered the reel. The nudges contribute to a higher Wild multiplier, as a single nudge results in a multiplier that is bigger by 1. If the icon is split by an xNudge Wild, this grants the player an additional Wild.
Another unique Remember Gulag feature is the xSplit Wild mechanic. These are icons that can appear on the fifth or sixth reel in the base game, or the first or second reel in the free spins mode. As suggested, such symbols will split the icons that are to the xSplit Wild’s left or right. It also affects unique symbols in interesting ways:
- If the xSplit Wild affects an xWays icon, the latter’s multiplier value is doubled.
- Whenever an xNudge Wild is split by an xSplit Wild, another Wild is added to the reel.
- If an xSplit Wild splits a Scatter symbol, the Scatter is converted to an expanding Wild. This can only happen in the base game.
We should also note that xSplit Wilds turn into two ordinary Wild symbols whenever they land on the reels.
Gulag Spins is the game’s free spins mode, and it is triggered whenever you get 3+ scatter symbols on the reels during the base game. This extra game starts with a so-called setup spin, which determines how many free spins you will receive. In addition, one of the character symbols will receive a base multiplier during the free spins mode. This symbol is chosen at random. During Gulag Spins, Scatter symbols are always split.
The Gulag Spins mode has several variants, the first of which is called Gulag Spins: All Aboard. It is activated either via 4 scatter symbols during the base game, or 3 scatter symbols during the classic Gulag free spins. Here, all of the top-paying symbols receive a starting multiplier. In addition, the base symbols may receive a 1x or 2x multiplier during the bonus mode, or their current multiplier value could be doubled.
The final variation is Gulag Spin: Double Vodka, which is triggered by landing 5 scatter symbols. Here, again, all of the symbols are active, but the multipliers are all doubled. During the gameplay, the icons could get additional 2x or 4x multipliers, or the multiplier they already have could be doubled. If you manage to land scatter symbols during the free spins, each scatter grants you one additional free spin.
A Nolimit Bonus feature is also available, and it allows you to buy different Gulag Spins variations at your convenience.
Closing Thoughts
If you fancy a game that has an interesting spin on the free game features one can experience while playing slots, Remember Gulag is a slot that more than delivers in that department, and it has even more to offer to individuals who love games of chance. The animation and artwork are both very impressive to boot, and the other bonus mechanics enhance the gameplay even further. It is also worth noting that Remember Gulag is relatively tame as far as Nolimit City titles go. If you have been looking to try what Nolimit City has to offer, but the provider’s other products were a bit too much, this is a chance to see what Nolimit City is capable of.