The Border Review
The gritty tone of Nolimit City returns with The Border. Inspired by the United States Border Patrol and the multiple walls across the US, The Border tells two different stories throughout the slot.
The first is one of the respectful guards just doing their jobs and protecting their country. The second tells the heartache and pain that people go through just to cross the border. As usual, this is a satire on society which is what Nolimit City does best.
However, this is a revolutionary slot for Nolimit City as it is the slot developers' first ever grid slot (aka Cluster Pays). Despite the debut of cluster pays, this slot includes all the favourite xMechanics as well as bonus rounds to keep you entertained.
Design
In terms of the imagery, the design is standard Nolimit City. The background is incredibly dark and the characters on the reels are blurry. With the background, players are transported to the border with barbed wire and spotlights surrounding the screen.
As for the symbols on the reels, there are soldiers, sheriffs, Mexican prisoners, a Mexican woman and a rich, fat American. They are pretty much all of the stereotypes and designed in a realistic style.
The music is pretty boring with a typical orchestral score with a few stringed instruments thrown in. There are some ambient noises of barbed wire but we expected screams or something darker for this slot.
Gameplay
If you love overcomplicated mechanics, then The Border is the one for you. There is so much going on that newcomers will be extremely confused. If you are a fan of Nolimit City and all of the crazy mechanics, then you should be at home with all the xMechanics.
On the left side of the screen, players will find the bet level buttons as well as the paytable. Non-UK players will find the bonus buy button in the yellow star section. To the far right is where players will find the spin button to get started.
Win Potential
Like most Nolimit City slots, the win potential is quite strong. There is an RTP of 96.17% followed by a high volatility level. For Nolimit City, the volatility is extreme so make sure to have the bankroll to sustain yourself.
The biggest win for this slot is 44,288x the stake which is high for an online slot. Nolimit City has stated that the maximum win is simulated to appear every 1 in 44 million spins which is a huge amount. However, that's not to say that there won't be any big wins with all the bizarre features.
Our Verdict
Overall, this slot feels quite rushed and not at all like Nolimit City's best slot. Many were critical of Road Rage, but the gameplay and overall design were more intriguing to us than The Border. This definitely feels like quintessential Nolimit City and what you'd expect from them last year but it feels like there has been no progress.
The gameplay feels extremely formulaic for Nolimit City which is strange considering how crazy the gameplay is. That's not to say that The Border is a bad slot but not what we expected for Nolimit City's triumphant comeback into grittier slots.
The Border will certainly appeal to die-hard Nolimit City fans but may struggle to find life with newcomers. The best thing to do is to play the slot for yourself to see which camp you fall into.
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