Karras's Horror Nights 21 Review

[Karras]

Karras's Halloween Horror Nights 21 Review

Note: My first review is always constructive. The follow up wont be. Opinions lay ahead... beware.

Houses

The Forsaken – The big downside to this house is it takes 3 rooms just to get started. Scares are hit or miss. First run wasn’t great. Second run scareactors delivered. If the crew would hide a little better it would make a big difference. Fantastic set design and effects. The final scare/effect is an oldie but a goodie… if you can catch it.

Scares – 3/5

Set Design - 5/5

Saws n’ Steam: Into the Machine – Saws n Steam scarezone meets Bioshock, which makes for a very lively house. Abundant scares mixed with relentless scareactors. The factory/machine setting felt foreboding and was always present. Got a great scare from the “Big Daddy” under the water fall. The Jaws queue is back in full effect.

Scares – 4/5

Set Design - 4/5

H.R. BloodnGutz presents: Holidays of Horror – Best use of this venue since 07. Each actor plays their part well. Costumes are insane and surprising. Some of the Holidays are better than others which make the house a little uneven. Wasn’t a fan of the transition rooms. I would rather go from Holiday to Holiday surprised without the TV’s telling me what’s next. Having said that, I still had a good time. This is how you mix horror and cheese.

Scares – 4/5

Set Design - 3/5

The Thing – Absolutely blows the The Thing Assimilation out of the water, or snow. The long resets are still present and can cripple your experience. However, the mutated scareactors fill out those spots well. See it’s not that hard. The puppets/animatronics have a better scare factor then in the past. The “finale” to this house is intense to say the least.

Scares – 4/5

Set Design - 5/5

Nightingales: Blood Prey – First run through this house wasn’t good. No scares. Second time was a big improvement. The set design is unlike anything I’ve seen in the past. The trenches are winding and claustrophobic. I felt as if there was a real battle going on above. Nightingales also has some of the best mix of effects and sounds. This house has HOTY potential. The actors just need to find their flow.

Scares – 3/5

Set Design - 5/5

Winter’s Night: Haunting of Hawthorn Cemetery – Turn the lights down in this house. WAY down. It’s not called Winter’s Day. That alone will make this house much creepier and harder to see the actors ahead of you. This is a gorgeous, highly detailed house that has potential. Evolves on the Legendary Truth formula.

Scares – 2/5

Set Design - 5/5

Nevermore: The Madness of Poe – This house pretty much has everything you’d need to make a horror nights house. Actors are into their roles and use the scenes well. Masque of the Red Death was a personal favorite. I just wish there were a few more actors in certain stories/poems. Especially in the finale which showcases the most insane Poe.

Scares – 4/5

Set Design - 5/5

The In Between *House of the Weekend* – Woah! The 3-D works differently with each room/scene. There are two rooms I was so busy gazing around in awe that the actors took advantage of my distraction. Scareactors were absolutely BUG NUTS. They would following me and my group. Running around. In our face. I loved it. My only qualms were length and finale. Best 3D house.. ever.

Scares – 5/5

Set Design - 5/5

Scare Zones

Canyon of Dark Souls – Cool. Different. Menacing. Didn’t see the actors doing much scaring but I did enjoy seeing the big brute skeletons pushing their way through the crowd.

Nightmaze – I liked it. Twice through the path changed a few times. I like seeing actors having some sort of control over their environment. Luckily I didn’t run into any congestion but it could be a killing blow on peak nights.

7 – Lively, loud and evolving (or devolving). This and Grown Evil have the best SZ actors of the event.

Acid Assault – Obviously best SZ effects of the event. The buildings crumbling and falling ash I couldn’t get enough of. Decent actors. Memorable zone.

Your Luck Has Run Out – Unlike her, Lady Luck’s minions are pretty cool. Decent use of sting alley. Not terrible

Grown Evil *Scarezone of the Weekend* – Eerie. Fantastic lighting, sound and music. Actors are creepy as hell. Each one if spontaneous and unique. Classic zone.

Pros +

+ An improvement over last year.

+ Solid houses & scarezones. It can be done!

+ Set design is at its peak.

Cons –

- Soundstage actors still finding their flow.

- Lady Luck

- Inaccurate wait times.

Edited October 4, 2011 by Karras

[Karras]

I'm sorry. A person would have to be in straight denial to say this house has nothing to do with Bioshock. Sure its not the definitive BIOSHOCK house but it's clear A&D had that in mind when designing it. The posters walking in, facade, triforce (another VG reference), the chanting, first room of the house, "Big Daddy" under the water fall, I saw some sort of labeled chambers above in one of the halls. And that was my only walk through. I can't wait for repeat runs of this house.

R-A-P-T-U-R-E

H-O-R-I-Z-O-N

Edited September 26, 2011 by Karras

[armyofrobots]

First off glad you liked it. Especially S&S...but seriously Im sick of hearing the Bioshock crap. It has nothing to do with a video game and (speaking for myself) its really annoying...Horizon Its a factory not an underwater City...although when it downpours its practically an underwater factory. And he looks nothing like Big Daddy at all. Besides we call him Scuba Steve

I've tried, man. I've tried. Just let him think that Saw 'n Steam is Bioshock so he can sleep at night.

[Karras]

All I've heard so far is what's NOT in Saws n Steam from Bioshock, not what's already there. Plus I don't see what the big deal is. I gave my reasons you gave yours. Drop it.

Edited September 26, 2011 by Karras

[Guest]

Guys let's be nice, shall we? I don't want to see this getting out of control. I can kind of see a light homage to Bioshock, just because of the whole Utopian city deal. The house is involved in a utopian city, while Bioshock is the same, but different nonetheless. Anyone who has played the games, including me, knows the true differences. Nice review, Mike.

[LV-426]

"Nightingales: Blood Prey – First run through this house wasn’t good. No scares. ."

im glad im not the only one that this happened to,

i wish they had the energy that saws and steam has

Edited September 26, 2011 by black mask

[DarkFoama]

Whoa thats how the TVs are incorporated? Im too excited. Great review, amped my hype because i feel they will find their groove by the time I get there.

[Karras]

Nice review, Mike.

Thank you.

im glad im not the only one that this happened to,

i wish they had the energy that saws and steam has

Yeah Nightingales definitely needs to turn up the volume. The first run neither myself or my group received a single scare. I could clearly see actors standing there but that's all. Second run we got targeted a few times. The Nightingale walking over the corpses followed me through the whole room. I also saw the scene where the banshee flies overhead while the soldier is trying to shoot her... f'ing awesome!

Whoa thats how the TVs are incorporated? Im too excited. Great review, amped my hype because i feel they will find their groove by the time I get there.

To each his own. I wouldn't feel that way if the queue video didn't already set up all the different Holidays. I'm sure I'm in the minority because the TVs do work for the house. I'm still excited for another run of this house, just to see the costumes alone.

Edited March 16, 2012 by Karras

[Karras]

Follow up Review - 2nd Weekend

Note: It's obvious the sets/effects are basically flawless but the scares make the house. How do they hold up second weekend?

Ranked from Favorite to Least. All tentative.

1. The In Between – 3 Runs - The most consistent house of the event. Every type of scare can be found right here. The “demons” appear and disappear in a flash. Each actor knows exactly how to execute their scene and doesn’t let up. I paid a more attention to the music this time around. Very eerie. Adds to the trip.

Favorite Scene: String/Floorless room

2. The Thing – 3 Runs – My 2 runs on Thursday were fantastic. I saw every “Thing”, every actor and the whole house felt electric. On our recent run my sis and I had the house to ourselves, it was even more intense. I’m happy one of the sound stage houses can deliver in the scare department consistently this year.

Favorite Scene: Thing in the ceiling battle

3. Nevermore: The Madness of Poe – 4 Runs – Poe is a memorable house that is near perfect. The one aspect that dampens the experience is I know every single scare spot in this house. Yes the scares are always there. Yes the actors are on their game. I just wish these spots had more of a variety of scares for repeat visits (The Thing & In Between). Having said that it’s still great. Yet to have a terrible run. Happy the finale has been amped up a little more.

Favorite Scene: Masque of the Red Death

4. The Forsaken – 3 Runs – I think Forsaken has found its flow. Each time its gotten better. Double scares, follow scares and surprises made this house on my recent run. The atmosphere is dense. The effects felt much more alive 2nd weekend.

Favorite Scene: Finale/Inside ship

5. Saws n’ Steam: Into the Machine – 2 Runs – Our first scare zone to house transition is a success! The scare actors are this house and fit right into the setting. Sets and effects are simple but efficient. SnS reminds me of a better more interesting version of Havoc (2010).

Favorite Scene: Finale

6. Nightingales: Blood Prey – 3 Runs – Yes Nightingales looks and sounds amazing. Yes the story is always present and interesting. This houses big killing blow is scare consistency. My second run of this house was solid. My other runs were terrible. I could see actors standing around. Not even scaring the groups in front of us. This house has potential but it’s slowly slipping away. It’s depressing.

Favorite Scene: Final trench

7. H.R. BloodnGutz presents Holidays of Horror – 2 Runs – This house is on the cusp of beating Nightingales. Both times were good experiences. Scare actors really get into their roles and sell the costumes well. The downside to HoH for me is the actors seem to deliver more towards the end. Favorite cheese house since Creatures.

Favorite Scene: TIE! St. Patrick’s Day/President’s Day

8. Winter’s Night: The Haunting of Hawthorn Cemetery – 3 Runs – I’ve had 1 decent run of this house (Cast B ) but it’s literally a cemetery. Where are the actors? Why do they take so long to appear? A&D must have read some reviews on this house because it was much darker than opening weekend. It goes to show that they really listen to us. However it didn’t save the house. I’ve never had a sound stage house on the bottom of my list before.

Favorite Scene: Crypt

Bill & Ted’s Excellent Halloween Adventure

Better than last year. Is that really saying much? It was ok but I don’t think I’ll be back for repeat viewings. Definitely doesn’t do the 20th Anniversary to Bill and Ted justice.

Some pics.

Edited October 4, 2011 by Karras

[Karras]

Final Thoughts

HHN 21 has come to a close for me. It was a solid rebuilding year but once again the soundstage houses being hit or miss and the Mascot/Icon were a big blow. I was fortunate enough to have only 1 crappy run of The Thing. Nightingales and Winters Night were weak in the scare department. The best parts of Nightingales are too easy to miss on repeat runs. The actors timing was always off and they all seemed so short in height. I felt I could kick them. Winters Night scares are non existent. Most runs I would see a max of 4 actors. To end my geek rank is Lady Luck, who I will forget about come Nov.

Now that I got the complaints out of the way I did have a good time this year. The scare zones brought a lot of NEW to the table. Some of them could have easily failed but didn't. The whole park had a great vibe this year even in the spots with no SZ's. The non SS houses did a great job and used some weak venues well (S&S, HoR).

21 will forever be remembered for raising the bar in the set design department. As much as I dislike Winters Night, I was still in awe at the beauty of it.

And next year...

Halloween Horror Nights 22 - Islands of Fear II (10 years later mwahahahaha.... )

I can only hope.

*Awards*

*House of the Year* - The In Between

*Scare Zone of the Year* - Grown Evil

*Scare Actors of the Year (House)* - The In Between

*Scare Actors of the Year (SZ)* - 7 & Grown Evil

*Set Design* - Nightingales: Blood Prey

*Sound Design* - The Thing

*Wild Card* - The Forsaken

*Museum of the Year* - Winter's Night: The Haunting of Absolutely Nothing

*Most Disappointing House* - Nightingales: Blood Prey

Final House Ranks

1. The In Between - 6 Runs

2. The Thing - 5 Runs

3. Nevermore: The Madness of Poe - 6 Runs

4. Saws n' Steam: Into the Machine - 4 Runs

5. The Forsaken - 6 Runs

6. H.R. BloodnGutz presents Holidays of Horror - 4 Runs

7. Nightingales: Blood Prey - 5 Runs

8. Winter's Night: The Haunting of Absolutely Nothing - 6 Runs

Final Scare Zone Ranks

1. Grown Evil

2. 7

3. Acid Assault

4. Canyon of Dark Souls

5. NightMaze

6. Your Luck Has Run Out

Year Rank

1. 13

2. Reflections of Fear

3. Islands of Fear

4. Ripped from the Silver Screen

5. Sweet 16

6. 21

7. XIV

8. Carnival of Carnage

9. Twenty Years of Fear

10. Tales of Terror

Edited October 27, 2011 by Karras