Theoretical return to player
96.26%
Smallest bet
0.10
Slot category
Video Slots
Volatility
High
Number of reels
5
Progressive jackpot
No
How popular it is
Largest bet
50
Studio
Hacksaw Gaming
Bonus features
Yes
Paylines
14
Setting
Greek Mythology
Army of Ares slot: an online game
Hacksaw Gaming’s Army of Ares builds its slot around the turmoil of ancient battle and the Greek god of war. Its harsh, high-energy presentation uses action-comic artwork to evoke a mythic conflict, with a dense mix of visual effects and game features. The result is a dramatic setting shaped by the devastation and scale of warfare.
Army of Ares: its theme, play and action-comic artwork
Army of Ares uses 4 rows across 5 reels, with 14 paylines available. A winning combination requires matching 3 to 5 symbols, beginning at the leftmost reel along an active payline.
Steel playing-card emblems make up the low-paying symbols, alongside higher-paying options. Land 5-of-a-kind with these emblems for a 1x win.
The themed high-paying symbols feature a shield, battleaxe, sword, horse and Ares himself. Matching 5 of any one of these on the grid awards between 4x and 10x. Wilds replace regular symbols, and 5 matching Wilds pay 10x the bet.
*The payout values in the symbol chart below use a $1.00 bet as their basis.
| Symbol | 5 Matches | 4 Matches | 3 Matches |
|---|---|---|---|
 | 10x | 5x | 2.5x |
 | 10x | - | - |
 | 8x | 4x | 2x |
 | 6x | 3x | 1.5x |
 | 5x | 2.5x | 1.2x |
 | 4x | 2x | 1x |
 | 1x | 0.5x | 0.2x |
 | 1x | 0.5x | 0.2x |
 | 1x | 0.5x | 0.2x |
 | 1x | 0.5x | 0.2x |
 | 1x | 0.5x | 0.2x |
The original review describes a palette led by red and grey, colours used to suggest fire and smoke across the battlefield. Ares appears beside the grid as a towering, muscular figure with a piercing red gaze; opposing him, fighters in recognisable Greek armour line the left side, ready for battle.
Top Casinos to Play Army of Ares:
Army of Ares features: Wild Wrath Reels and multipliers
In the base game, the action centres on expanding symbols and multipliers, mechanics familiar from Hacksaw Gaming releases.
How Wrath Reels work
Wrath Reels can interrupt ordinary spins with a burst of Wilds, providing the slot’s main base-game feature.
- Trigger: A Wrath Scatter must land; it is the red dagger-and-wings icon.
- Effect: The scatter grows into a complete Wild Wrath Reel, which substitutes for other symbols.
- Multiplier range: An expanded Wild Wrath Reel may carry a multiplier from 2x up to 300x.
- Combining values: When multiple Wild Wrath Reels contribute to one payline win, their multipliers are added before they apply.
- Extra Wilds: Following expansion, the Wrath Reel can produce 0–5 individual Wild symbols in random grid positions.
Three progressive bonus rounds: Fear and Flame, Wrath and Ruin, and Ares Ascends
According to the game details, its 15,000x maximum win is available through one of three progressive bonus rounds.
Fear and Flame Bonus (10 Free Spins)
Landing 3 FS Scatters starts this round. It retains the base-game rules, while single Wilds created by the Wrath Reel arrive with a multiplier between 2x and 100x. If a win includes more than one Wild Multiplier or Wrath Reel, the multiplier values are added together.
Wrath and Ruin Bonus (3 Refilling Lives)
This bonus begins when 4 FS Scatters land. It replaces standard symbols with a “hold-and-respin” format, similar in style to Chaos Crew.
Reel multipliers: At the start of the round, every reel has an x1 multiplier, which can rise as play continues.
Lives: Players begin with 3 lives. A Disc Multiplier or Battle Horse landing restores the count to 3.
Disc multipliers: Green Discs add their value (1x-100x) to the reel they hit; Epic Green Discs add theirs to all reels. Red Discs multiply the reel they land on (x2-x10), while Epic Red Discs multiply all reels.
Battle Horse: This special symbol is collected during play, then activated at the round’s end to multiply its reel’s total multiplier by a value up to x50.
Ares Ascends: Hidden Epic Bonus
Landing 5 FS Scatters triggers this top-tier round. It draws on the Wrath and Ruin mechanics, but the first spin is guaranteed to begin with a grid filled by Disc symbols and one Battle Horse, raising the reward potential from the outset.
Army of Ares Feature Buys: options and risk
In its account of the free-play version of Army of Ares, choosing certain Feature Buy options led to a better chance of wins proportionate to the stake or of larger wins.
Bonushunt Featurespins (3x): The original review characterises this as a lower-cost Featurespins choice and reports modest wins in proportion to the bet early in its play. It recommends using the option early and briefly. The source presents its lower price as making the feature accessible to both high-risk and more cautious players.
Wrath and Ruin Bonus (200x): Buying the most expensive bonus is a high-risk route for players seeking the largest rewards. This option raised the chance of very large wins compared with the base game. It also reports one demo round reaching 1900x the base bet. Its cost and volatility are described as appealing to thrill-seeking high rollers; that reported result is not a prediction.
Slots like Army of Ares: alternatives to explore
For a different setting with Hacksaw Gaming’s familiar expanding, multiplying and cash-collecting features, consider these alternatives:
- Spear of Athena: This Hacksaw Gaming game also takes place in war-torn Ancient Greece. Its listed maximum win is 15,000x, and its features include Goddess Respin and Fortune Reveals.
- Chaos Crew 3: Players who like the additive and multiplying reel symbols in Wrath and Ruin but would rather skip mythology may prefer this slot. Its stated win potential reaches 30,000x.
- Gates of Olympus 1000: This high-volatility Greek mythology slot comes from Pragmatic Play. It features multipliers and lists a maximum win potential of up to 15,000x.
Our verdict: should you join the Army of Ares battle?
Army of Ares adds a forceful, fire-lit theme to Hacksaw Gaming’s portfolio. Its building blocks will be familiar to players who know the studio’s expanding and multiplying features from games such as Chaos Crew and Duel at Dawn; the appeal here is how those mechanics are presented within an intense mythological conflict.
The review highlights action-comic illustrations and a forceful soundtrack as key parts of the game’s atmosphere. Wrath Reels can reach 300x, while the Wrath and Ruin bonus adds another layer to play. In the reviewer’s assessment, Army of Ares will suit players drawn to Hacksaw’s high-potential mechanics and a dramatic Greek mythology setting.
With 12+ years of experience in the iGaming industry, Evan specializes in reviewing online casinos, analyzing slot games, and evaluating player safety. Their expertise covers casino licensing, RTP, volatility, bonus conditions, and withdrawal policies. Through hands-on testing and independent research, Evan delivers transparent, fact-based reviews to help players better understand gambling platforms, their features, and potential risks.
