Slingshot Studios · Released 2019 · high volatility
Released
Oct 19
Volatility
high
Reel
5x3
Paylines
5
RTP
96.18
Min bet
0.05
Max bet
125
Max win
2,400
A Dark Matter from Slingshot Studios is a dark Victorian mystery built around the unexplained disappearances taking place in the sleepy English town of Stonehurst. Players follow paranormal investigator Nathan Highmore as his investigation leads towards the distinctly uninviting Wraith Manor and the characters hiding within it. Released on 22 October 2019, the game uses a 5x3 grid with only 5 paylines, although those lines pay in both directions. It has a 96.18% RTP, high volatility and maximum win potential of 2,400x the stake during Free Spins.
For a game from 2019, the presentation has aged particularly well. Wraith Manor, gloomy woodland, fog, detailed character portraits and a suitably sinister soundtrack create a proper Gothic atmosphere. Slingshot clearly wanted this to feel more like a supernatural mystery than another Halloween slot filled with pumpkins and cartoon ghosts. Contemporary coverage praised the artwork, character design and original musical score, while Slingshot itself described its aim as creating a theatrical experience.
Mechanically, it's much simpler than the elaborate setting suggests. Most of the action revolves around Wilds appearing on the central reels. Fill reel 2 or 4 with Wilds and Invading Wilds can spread onto an adjacent reel. Fill both simultaneously and the darkness consumes reel 3 as well, potentially leaving the three central reels completely Wild.
Free Spins take that same idea and strengthen it rather than introducing a completely different bonus. Super Stacked Wilds increase the opportunity for invasions, additional Scatters provide extra spins and surrounding all three central reels with Wilds activates a 2x multiplier.
There's a wonderfully elaborate mystery surrounding what is actually a remarkably straightforward slot. Slingshot built an entire haunted manor, populated it with suspicious characters and then largely left the Wilds to solve the case.
A Dark Matter uses just 5 fixed paylines, but combinations can pay from either direction.
That's particularly useful given how few paylines there are. Instead of relying exclusively on combinations beginning from the leftmost reel, matching symbols can form qualifying combinations in either direction.
Five paylines still feels incredibly sparse by modern standards, but the bidirectional system makes considerably better use of them.
The Dark Matter Wild substitutes for regular paying symbols and appears across the three central reels. During the base game, Wilds can appear stacked on reels 2 and 4.
A standard Wild isn't particularly noteworthy by itself.
What matters is what happens when enough of the darkness arrives at once.
Stacked Wilds can completely cover reels 2 and 4, and doing so provides the trigger for the game's headline mechanic.
This immediately gives the Wild stacks more importance than simply helping complete individual combinations. As a reel begins filling, you're watching to see whether the entire stack arrives and activates the invasion.
It's a simple bit of anticipation, but it works particularly well on such a small grid.
Slingshot calls its headline mechanic Invading Wilds, which we'd categorise using the broader industry term Spreading Wilds.
Completely filling reel 2 or 4 with Wilds causes that Wild stack to invade an adjacent reel, creating a block of six Wild positions. If full Wild stacks land simultaneously on reels 2 and 4, they invade the middle reel and create a huge block of nine Wilds across reels 2, 3 and 4.
This is easily the best feature in the base game.
It also fits the theme exceptionally well. Rather than Wilds simply appearing randomly, the dark matter visibly spreads across the playing area and gradually consumes the reels.
That's a good example of a mechanic and theme actually belonging together.
Three Doorknocker Scatters trigger 12 Free Spins, moving the action inside Wraith Manor and upgrading the game's Wild mechanics.
The change of location is a nice presentation touch because it makes reaching the feature feel like you've actually progressed further into the mystery.
Mechanically, however, the focus remains firmly on the Invading Wilds.
During Free Spins, the Wilds become Super Stacked Wilds, increasing the opportunity for the central reels to become covered and activate the Invading Wilds mechanic.
I like the decision not to abandon the game's best idea when the bonus starts.
The base game teaches you why full Wild stacks matter. Free Spins simply make those situations more prominent and potentially more valuable.
It's straightforward feature design, but very effective.
If Invading Wilds surround the three middle reels during Free Spins, qualifying wins receive a 2x multiplier. This helps produce the game's maximum win potential of up to 2,400x the stake during the feature.
This is essentially the ultimate result you're looking for.
Getting reels 2, 3 and 4 completely Wild already creates enormous coverage across a little 5x3 grid. Adding the multiplier gives the feature an appropriate reward for reaching its strongest state.
Apparently once the darkness has taken over most of the screen, it starts charging double.
Every additional Scatter landing during Free Spins awards one extra spin.
It's a modest Retrigger compared with games that award another complete batch of Free Spins, but it suits the structure.
Every additional spin is another opportunity for the Super Stacked Wilds to create a full invasion.
A Dark Matter is mechanically simple even by the standards of its 2019 release.
Five paylines and a 5x3 grid don't provide much variety on their own, and there's no cascading system, collection mechanic or meaningful long term progression.
The Invading Wilds are what give the gameplay its identity. Watching a complete Wild stack spread onto another reel is satisfying, while the possibility of creating three consecutive Wild reels gives ordinary spins a clear standout event.
It's easy to understand and the mechanic works.
There's simply not enough happening to push the gameplay into our higher scoring territory.
Score: 7.0/10
The feature package isn't particularly large, but it is coherent.
Stacked Wilds lead into Invading Wilds. Free Spins enhance those Wilds. Successful invasions can create three completely Wild central reels, with the strongest Free Spins configuration adding a 2x multiplier. Additional Scatters extend the feature.
Everything revolves around the same central idea.
That's preferable to having six unrelated modifiers included simply to make the feature list longer, but it also means that once you've understood the Wild mechanic, there aren't many surprises left.
Score: 7.3/10
This is comfortably A Dark Matter's strongest category.
The Victorian setting has genuine atmosphere. Wraith Manor, the dark woodland surroundings, character portraits and gloomy colour palette create something much more distinctive than a generic horror slot. The original musical score is particularly important, with contemporary launch coverage highlighting both the artwork and atmospheric sound design.
The presentation also supports the gameplay. Invading Wilds visually consume more of the reels, which makes the supernatural mechanic feel like part of the world rather than something simply attached to it.
The animation obviously isn't going to match the technical sophistication of the very best modern releases, but good art direction doesn't suddenly expire after a few years.
A Dark Matter still looks like A Dark Matter.
That's more than can be said for plenty of slots that blur together five minutes after you've closed them.
Score: 8.7/10
The individual mechanics aren't revolutionary. Stacked Wilds, Spreading Wilds, Free Spins and multipliers all existed long before 2019.
It's the combination of mechanics, presentation and storytelling that gives A Dark Matter its identity.
Stonehurst, Wraith Manor, paranormal investigator Nathan Highmore and the wider cast were created as part of an actual supernatural mystery rather than simply providing decorative symbols for the reels. Slingshot said at launch that considerable effort had gone into creating the world and characters surrounding the game.
There's actually an argument that the studio didn't take the concept far enough.
A setting this detailed almost begs for an investigative bonus where rooms are explored, suspects revealed or parts of the mystery uncovered. Instead, most of that wonderful storytelling remains around the reels rather than becoming part of the gameplay.
Still, in terms of having a recognisable identity, A Dark Matter succeeds.
Score: 8.0/10
Overall Rating
7.5/10
A Dark Matter creates a far bigger world than you'd expect to find surrounding a five payline slot.
Slingshot Studios' gloomy Victorian setting remains its biggest strength. Wraith Manor, paranormal investigator Nathan Highmore, the mysterious disappearances and the game's sinister soundtrack give it genuine character, while the move inside the Manor for Free Spins helps create the feeling that you've progressed deeper into the story.
The actual gameplay is considerably simpler. Stacked Wilds on reels 2 and 4 can spread onto neighbouring reels through Invading Wilds, while landing both stacks simultaneously can turn all three central reels Wild. Free Spins strengthen the same mechanic with Super Stacked Wilds, extra spins from additional Scatters and a 2x multiplier when the central reels are consumed by darkness.
There's definitely room for more. With such a strong cast and setting, an interactive mystery or feature exploring Wraith Manor could have elevated the game considerably beyond its fairly limited Wild mechanics.
But what is here works, and the atmosphere has held up particularly well since 2019. It's dark, distinctive and refreshingly uninterested in filling the screen with generic horror clichés.
Wraith Manor has plenty of secrets. The biggest mystery is why Slingshot didn't let us explore more of them.
Overall Rating: 7.5/10.
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