Western Gold 2: Double Barrel

Get your pistols packed and head out to the wild west for a rootin’ tootin’ adventure with Western Gold 2: Double Barrel, the online slot from Just4TheWin. There’s everything to play for as you head out to the barren desert where an enemy could lie in wait around the next rock in the canyon. But that’s not all that could be in store for players, as hitting the top combination could bring home a whopping x25,000 prize pot. 

As players will guess from the name, Western Gold 2: Double Barrel is a sequel, so you might have seen the original. There are a few differences in the visuals, and you'll recognise lots of the features. However, with the first game only offering x10,000 and fewer bonus features, this follow-up release is a supercharged version that could deliver an even bigger payday. Just for the Win aren't known for their high volatility slots, and the first Western Gold title broke with their norm. But it performed well and received lots of praise, so they've returned with the big guns to really blow players away.  

The rapid fire action takes place on a 5x3 game board which includes 40 paylines, just like the original. The betting range has been narrowed slightly, falling to 0.20 to 20.00, which will be a disappointment to big budget players. The same high volatility remains, so if you've got the means to keep playing, there's the chance of larger prizes landing on the reels. 

In the first game, players were treated to a glorious view of the wild west with a burning red sunset and a glowing desert panorama. The scenery on Western Gold 2 is a little more muted, with pastel colours showing the rocky landscape in the daylight, looking more like an oil painting. But with a similar soundtrack and cohesive visuals, there's no question where the game is set - so pull on your cowboy boots and get ready for a shoot-out, western-style.  

The paytable on this slot hasn't changed much, and players will recognise many of the symbols. The low pays cme in with boots, hats, pistols and playing cards, worth up to x1.5 for a full line of five. The premium pays are nearly all variants of the BAR - single, double and triple, with the latter worth x17.5 for matching five on a payline. The top value symbol on the board is the Lucky 7, giving a x30 prize for a line of five. 

The wild can land on any of the reels and has the same value as the Lucky 7; it can also substitute for any of the regular pays to help with creating a win.

This is where it’s possible to ramp up your winnings with three separate bonus features to enjoy.  

The first of these is the Cash Barrel; this is a scatter, and if you land four or more in a single spin, you'll collect an instant cash prize. The more you land, the larger the prize will be, starting at x1 and increasing up to x10,000 for landing a complete set of 12.  

The sheriff badge is another scatter, and only appears on reels 2,3 and 4; if you manage to land all three, you'll unlock the free spins round. You'll start with three spins which will reset every time either a mustang or scatter symbol lands. Scatters don't have a regular value in free spins as they're collected instead, and when the bonus ends, they will be counted and paid out as per the Cash Barrel feature above. Multipliers apply during this round, starting at x1 and increasing when the Feature Barrel lands. This is the mustang, and when it appears on reel 5 you'll be given one of five possible prizes. Possible prizes in the Feature Barrel include an increase in the cash value, more prizes, more spins and a higher multiplier.  

The Feature Barrel can also upgrade the feature to the Super Free Spins feature. You can also trigger this by landing the free spins scatter on the middle three reels and a wrangler on reels 1 and 5. This pays out the value of the Cash Barrel on every spin, hiking up the payout substantially.

There’s nothing too complicated about the gameplay in Western Gold 2: Double Barrel but Just for the Win have included plenty of features to keep you busy. With the chance to collect symbols for prizes in both the base and bonus rounds, it’s not difficult to boost your payday and return home with your saddlebags filled with cash. The original Western Gold game was a hit, and this is certain to be doubly the case.