"Wild Walker" is an intriguing and atmospheric video slot game developed by Pragmatic Play, set in a post-apocalyptic world overrun by zombies. The game features a unique grid layout that starts with 5 reels in the base game and can expand up to 8 reels during the bonus round. This expansion significantly impacts the game's dynamics and symbol values, providing players with an engaging and evolving gameplay experience.
The game offers 25 ways to win, with winning combinations formed by landing matching symbols on adjacent reels from left to right. The symbols in "Wild Walker" are divided into different value categories. The lower-value symbols are represented by the classic J-A royals. For the mid-value symbols, players will find thematic items such as test tubes and needle guns. The highest-value symbols are the four character symbols, each one intricately designed to fit the game's zombie theme. These high-value symbols offer substantial payouts, ranging from 4.8x to 20x the stake for a winning combination in the base game. However, the game truly shines in the free spins round, where opening all 8 reels can result in staggering payouts of 80x to 400x the bet.
"Wild Walker" is highlighted by two main features: expanded roaming wilds and the progressive free spins round. The expanded roaming wild is a standout feature, represented by a 1x3 full reel-sized zombie wild symbol that substitutes for all other symbols except the scatter. This wild symbol is always present on the reels, moving to a randomly selected reel on each spin and covering all three positions. Additionally, the wilds offer their own payouts, awarding 1.2x the bet for three in a row and 6x for four.
The game's progressive free spins round is triggered by landing the skull in a gas mask scatter symbol, which can appear on any reel. Depending on whether 3 or 4 scatters are landed, players are awarded 8 free spins starting at either the first or second level of the bonus round. The transition from the base game to the bonus round is marked by a captivating cutscene featuring zombies reminiscent of Michael Jackson's "Thriller" video. The free spins take place inside a laboratory, adding to the game's immersive and eerie atmosphere.