What we check before publishing a review
Every review on this site starts with the same checklist: return to player, volatility, maximum win, hit frequency, reel layout, and the mechanics that drive the bonus round. We pull these figures from the studio's own game page when available, then compare them against independent slot databases and licensed casino listings. If a number only appears in one place, or if sources disagree, we say so once, clearly, rather than presenting an unverified figure as fact. We do not fill gaps with industry averages. A missing max win or an unconfirmed volatility rating stays marked as such until a reliable source publishes it.
How we handle configurable RTP and conflicting data
Le Bandit is a useful case study for how we treat games with more than one published RTP. Hacksaw Gaming lists several configurations for this title, ranging from a low-90s figure up to a default in the mid-90s. Rather than picking the highest number to make the page look more attractive, we report the full range and note that the default value is the one most Canadian-facing operators run unless stated otherwise on the casino's own paytable.
This matters because RTP is set at the operator level for configurable titles, and the number displayed in a demo or on a specific casino site can differ from what a database lists as the studio's headline figure. Our job is to flag that variability rather than collapse it into a single misleading average.
The same caution applies to volatility and reel layout. Most sources agree Le Bandit runs on a 6x5 cluster grid with medium volatility, but at least one database lists it as high volatility, and another cites a five-reel layout. We follow the majority view across independent sources and provider documentation, and we note a discrepancy only when it could genuinely affect how a reader interprets the game — not on every page, and not as a hedge against being wrong.
Bonus buy pricing gets the same treatment. Le Bandit offers several distinct buy-in tiers tied to different free spins modes, each with its own cost multiplier and presumably its own RTP profile. We list what's confirmed and avoid guessing at figures the studio hasn't published for each tier individually.
Why mechanics and player experience matter as much as the numbers
Specs tell you what a slot can theoretically do; they don't tell you what it feels like to play. That's why our reviews go beyond RTP tables to describe how cascading wins interact with a feature like Golden Squares, how often the free spins modes actually trigger relative to the stated hit frequency, and whether a stacking multiplier system like the one in Le Bandit produces genuine variance in outcomes or just looks impressive on paper.
We test demo versions where they're available, note how the interface handles bet changes and autoplay, and check whether mobile play matches the desktop experience in terms of speed and clarity. For a title with multiple bonus buy tiers, we also look at how clearly the game communicates the cost and expected volatility shift of each option before a player commits real money.
This dual approach — verified math plus hands-on observation — is what separates a review from a spec sheet. A slot can have an attractive theoretical max win and still play in a way that doesn't suit a given bankroll or session length, and that context only comes from actually spinning the reels, not from reading a provider's marketing page.
Where we can't verify something firsthand, such as exact certification status for a specific Canadian jurisdiction, we say that plainly instead of implying confirmation we don't have.