A sword tracker in the top right of the screen fills slowly as you spin. Each Starfang sword scatter that appears on the reels pushes the counter closer to 10, and once it gets there, the free spins round unlocks. Arcadem’s dark fantasy slot builds its entire rhythm around that progression, giving standard play a sense of forward momentum that most scatter-triggered games lack. Knight Aedan stands guard at the edge of the grid, facing down the dragon Morrigan across a landscape of ruined castles and moody skies, with a 96.11% RTP and a collect-to-unlock bonus structure that rewards patience.
During standard play, three wild symbols can appear randomly anywhere on the screen on any given spin. These aren’t triggered by a specific symbol or combination. They simply materialise, overlaying whatever was in that position. On a 25-payline grid, three additional wilds can connect wins that the original reel result wouldn’t have produced, making every spin carry a chance of a boost regardless of what initially lands.
The Starfang sword scatter can land on any reel. Each one that appears is collected by the persistent tracker visible throughout your session. Once 10 swords have been gathered across however many spins it takes, the first free spins tier unlocks with 10 free spins.
During the bonus round, Aedan and Morrigan may be heard fighting randomly on each spin. When a fight occurs, one wild is added to the reels. On each subsequent fight within the same round, the number of wilds increases by one. Two fights means 2 wilds, three fights means 3 wilds, and so on. The escalation is capped at 5 fight triggers per free spins round, but even a few fights can load the reels with wilds quickly.
Players can also choose to collect 4 shield scatter symbols alongside the swords. If both targets are met, the bonus unlocks with enhanced potential. The same 10 free spins play out, but each fight now adds 2 wilds instead of 1. Two fights means 4 wilds, three fights means 6 wilds. The escalation doubles across the board, making the shield-enhanced version significantly more volatile and rewarding when the fights land frequently.
The persistent sword tracker in the top right corner is the first thing to understand about Starfang. Unlike traditional scatter triggers where three symbols on a single spin open the bonus, this game accumulates sword scatters across multiple spins. Every sword that lands on any reel adds to the count, and once the tracker reaches 10, the free spins round activates. That collection persists across your session, so every spin contributes progress even when the immediate result is a loss.
The 5×3 grid runs 25 fixed paylines, all paying left to right. Bets range from £0.25 up to £100.00 per spin, adjusted through the BET selector. Autoplay handles automatic spin sequences. Only the longest matching combination per symbol on each payline counts, and simultaneous wins across different lines are added together. Scatters pay in any position. The rules panel lists the RTP at 96.11%, and the maximum win sits at 1,068x.
All figures shown at a €1.00 total bet.
| Symbol | x3 | x4 | x5 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Knight Aedan | €2.00 | €4.00 | €12.00 |
| Dragon Morrigan | €2.00 | €4.00 | €12.00 |
| Castle | €2.00 | €4.00 | €6.00 |
| Kingdom Flag | €2.00 | €4.00 | €6.00 |
| Symbol | x3 | x4 | x5 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ace | €0.80 | €3.20 | €4.80 |
| King | €0.80 | €3.20 | €4.80 |
| Queen | €0.40 | €2.00 | €4.00 |
| Jack | €0.40 | €2.00 | €4.00 |
| Ten | €0.20 | €0.80 | €4.00 |
Knight Aedan and Dragon Morrigan share the top paytable spot at 12x for five of a kind. The Castle and Kingdom Flag sit one tier below at 6x for five. The wild also pays 12x for five, matching the two premium character symbols. Despite being on opposite sides of the narrative, Aedan and Morrigan carry identical value on the reels.
Starfang pairs a cinematic dark fantasy setting with a collect-to-unlock bonus structure that gives every spin a sense of progress. The 96.11% RTP is solid and the dual-tier free spins system is well designed, though a 1,068x maximum win limits the top end for a medium-high volatility game.
Starfang commits to its atmosphere from the loading screen. The colour palette is almost entirely cold blues, deep greys, and firelight, with silhouetted trees framing the grid and a distant castle burning against an ember-streaked sky. Knight Aedan stands to the right of the reels looking like he walked out of a major fantasy franchise, all chiselled features and grim determination. The soundtrack reinforces the mood with orchestral weight, building tension through strings and percussion that rise and fall with the spin cycle. Arcadem have created something that feels cinematic in a way most slot themes don’t attempt.
The sword collection tracker adds a layer that changes how standard play feels. Rather than waiting passively for a scatter trigger on a single spin, every sword that lands moves the counter forward. During our review session, the tracker sat at 3/10 after a handful of spins, which created a subtle pull to keep going. That persistent progression is the game’s smartest design choice, and it transforms what would otherwise be unremarkable standard sessions into something with visible forward momentum.
The paytable itself is modest. Aedan and Morrigan at 12x for five of a kind won’t generate standout results on their own, and the gap between the high-paying and low-paying tiers is narrower than most games of this volatility. The random wilds that appear during regular play help bridge that gap, occasionally completing combinations that the base result missed. Three random wilds on a 25-payline grid can connect a surprising number of wins when they land in productive positions.
The 1,068x maximum win is the number that tempers expectations. It’s low for a game positioned as medium-high volatility, and it means the escalating wilds in the bonus round hit a practical limit sooner than the system’s design suggests. The dual-tier bonus structure is a compelling idea, with the shield collection offering a meaningful upgrade, but the cap constrains how far that escalation can carry you. A 96.11% RTP keeps the maths respectable, and the collect-to-unlock format gives the demo a stickiness that instant-trigger games often lack.
Starfang delivers atmosphere and a clever progression system wrapped around a modest paytable. Players who enjoy dark fantasy themes and the satisfaction of building toward a bonus rather than waiting for one will find this free play session holds attention longer than the numbers alone would suggest.