Halloween is all about fear (among other things). Those who enjoy Halloween either want to scare people or get scared. For those who choose the latter, a popular choice is to visit a haunted house. Depending on how easily scared you are, you may need a scorecard. Worry not. The Daily Lobo has your haunted house picks covered.
NM Slaughterhouse
Scare Factor: 9.5/10
Warnings that victims they may be touched by something are spot on. Groups are often separated and the house is a maze, which may increase frustration and the likelihood of being scared.
Realism: 10/10
The elaborate set design is probably the most impressive aspect. Special effects are well done and costume design is great; even the supernatural creatures seem authentic.
Acting: 9.5/10
The actors include creepy children, clowns and supernatural manifestations of children’s nightmares. They do a great job of committing and controlling the action, providing a unique experience.
Cost: 9.5/10
General admission is set at $30. The experience makes the slightly higher price worth the cost. The production company also recommends saving ticket stubs, which have a serial number, because the company offers promotions throughout the year via their Facebook page to reward customers.
The attraction, located at 1909 Bellamah Ave. NW, is open through Halloween night. This year, two blood bath and black out nights will be offered to provide an even more intense experience. For additional information for pricing and attractions, go to www.nmslaughterhouse.com.
~ Robert Maler, @robert_maler
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Dragon’s House of Horror
Scare factor: 4.5/10
Dragon’s House of Horror depends on darkness, occasional suspenseful music and clown mask jump scares. Clown masks and the thriller references, dead bodies, beautifully illustrated maze walls and other gory props were frightening when viewed with the lights on.
Too bad people can’t see them, or anything else for that matter.
Realism: 4/10
The props made it clear what the use of each room was, but it was too dark to make any of them out. While patrons could be shocked a few times in the maze, the uneven sand floor and lack of lighting made the risk of falling more frightening than the black silhouettes.
Acting: 6/10
Our tour guide had our group convinced he was just another customer. It wasn’t until we made it to the last maze that we realized that he was part of the staff. There were two occasions in addition to that of the tour guide that the acting was truly impressive.
The little boy and his father made our group uneasy. The jump scares involving clown masks were the only consistent jump scares. However, the acrobatics by the young man in the psychiatric ward blew all other performances out of the water.
Cost: 5/10
Dragon’s House of Horror is open every day through Halloween. Be prepared to walk more than a mile. Wear good shoes and bring a friend with good night vision. For $5 off your ticket, type in the promo code: HH5off.
Despite the discount, the lack of lighting for steps and uneven ground is not quite worth $15.
Dragon’s House of Horror is located at 300 San Pedro Dr. NE. Open every day up to Halloween from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. Thursday and 7 p.m. to midnight Friday & Saturday. For more information, go to www.dragonhouseofhorror.com.
~Imani Lambert, @DailyLobo
Battlefield Apocalypse
Scare factor: 3/10
As someone who is so easy to scare, it’s a lot coming from me to say that there wasn’t much scary about Battlefield Apocalypse. You’ve got guys roaring at you, and coming out of nowhere in a pitch-black building with paintball masks on, and that’s about it.
Realism: 2/10
Random boards were placed around the building for no reason other than giving “zombies” a hiding spot. Customers who enjoy zombie scenarios likely pictured a group of 20 to 30 “zombies” coming at them while running for their lives. Those who imagined this will be horribly disappointed to find that the “zombie hoard” consists of the same three guys. They don’t even look like zombies. They’re just dudes in orange jumper suits wearing paintball masks.
Acting: 5/10
The man leading the tour has high levels of energy and is helpful in showing customers how to work their paintball markers. The story of what’s behind all the banging noises is interesting, but you can tell the actors find it harder to keep up with the story as they take more and more abuse from paintballs.
Cost: 5/10
Battlefield Apocalypse admission is $25 per person. Considering the building takes only 20 minutes to get through, it’s really not worth the money. Perhaps going in a larger group would make a difference, but if you just bring a friend as I did, expect the most fun to come out of tripping your friend in the dark.
Battlefield Apocalypse is located at 1909 Bellamah Ave. NW, behind NM Slaughterhouse. Make sure you ask for the right tickets at the box office. This attraction is open Friday and Saturday from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. For more information, go to www.battlefieldapocalypse.com.
~Skylar Griego, @TDLBooks
