Hacksaw's Buried by Night: A New Twist on a Classic Mechanic

Dr. Annelies De Vos · 2026-10-01

Hacksaw Gaming has a knack for taking a familiar idea and flipping it on its head. Their latest release, Buried by Night, does exactly that. It's a Western-themed slot that reworks the studio's signature VS mechanic in a way that feels fresh, not forced. ### The VS Mechanic Gets a Horizontal Makeover If you've played Hacksaw slots like Gladiator Legends or Undead Fortune, you know the VS mechanic. Typically, wild multipliers expand vertically, covering entire reels. But in Buried by Night, that expansion goes sideways. When a VS symbol lands on reels 2, 3, or 4, it expands horizontally into a DuelRows symbol. Then a duel happens, and the winner applies a multiplier ranging from x2 to x100 to the entire symbol. It's a small change that makes a big difference in how wins stack up. - **Vertical vs. horizontal:** The shift from DuelReels to DuelRows changes the flow of the game, creating new ways to hit big. - **Multiplier range:** x2 to x100 keeps things exciting without being absurd. - **Max win:** 15,000x your stake, achievable in any mode. ### Why This Matters for Players Hacksaw isn't just reskinning an old game. They're evolving a mechanic that players already know and love. By keeping the core VS concept but tweaking its direction, they give the game a distinct identity while still appealing to fans of their previous titles. > "It's like they took a classic recipe and added a new spice," one player might say. "You recognize the flavor, but it hits different." And that's the point. Hacksaw has built a reputation for mechanical families, and Buried by Night fits right in. It's part of a lineage that includes Western-themed slots like Wanted Dead or a Wild (2021), Bullets and Bounty, and Duel at Dawn. ### Feature Buys and Bonus Rounds Like many Hacksaw releases, Buried by Night offers feature buys for players who want to skip the grind. For 2x your bet, you can activate BonusHunt FeatureSpins, which triples your chances of triggering a bonus. The two main bonus rounds can also be bought outright. This approach caters to different playstyles. Some players enjoy the slow burn of organic play, while others prefer to jump straight into the action. Hacksaw gives you both options. ### The Bigger Picture Buried by Night isn't a revolution; it's an evolution. Hacksaw continues to refine its mechanics and themes, building out families of games that share DNA. This strategy keeps their catalog cohesive while still offering variety. For players who appreciate high-volatility slots with a twist, this one's worth a spin. The horizontal DuelRows mechanic adds a new layer of strategy, and the 15,000x max win is a tempting target. So, if you're a fan of Hacksaw's previous work or just looking for a fresh take on a classic, give Buried by Night a try. It might just surprise you.