As the smell of joss sticks and burning paper wafts through the streets, we know that the seventh month has befallen upon us. But the spooky season is just starting, as there’s more to look forward to in the coming months. If you are game for jumpscares, haunted houses, and zombies, then keep an eye out for the quintessential experience for all horror lovers – Halloween Horror Nights, back again at Universal Studios Singapore for its 10th edition!
From 30 September to 5 November, visitors can get the chills at three haunted houses and two scare zones. Additionally, there is also a laser-tag challenge and the Monsters & Manifestations experience which presents a behind-the-scenes look at Halloween Horror Nights. Let’s take a closer peek at what the various attractions offer to get you screaming out of your wits!
I don’t know about you, but haunted houses excite me. As a horror enthusiast myself, I believe a haunted house is a classic yet foolproof recipe for disaster. Is there anything more spine-chilling than not knowing behind which door; your deepest darkest fears await you? This year’s headlining haunted house – Killustrator: The Final Chapter – pays tribute to some of the freakiest moments across the past nine editions of Universal Studios Singapore’s Halloween Horror Nights.
The Killustrator – a lonely, crazed, artist obsessed with Halloween Horror Nights – is producing new, daring material for his latest venture. Watch him bring fan-favourite Halloween Horror Nights moments back to life in disturbing new stories, sure to keep you up at night.
For all Train to Busan and Resident Evil fans out there, you can look forward to your share of a zombie fix. Operation: Dead Force is another haunted house you can check out, which houses top-secret plans to prepare the world for a Zombie Apocalypse. Undergo a drastic transformation to become part of a special force of mutant zombies to fight zombies. If you ever wondered what you’d do if the apocalypse befalls upon us, well, here’s your chance to find out!
Finally, the third haunted house is a must-go for fans of true crime and the supernatural. Southeast Asia’s then-richest tycoon previously resided in this mansion, but the house has now been restored into a hotel. With an attractive discount given to guests to stay the night, they are flocking in for the ultimate staycation. But is there more to what meets the eye? If you’re one to constantly binge-watch supernatural documentaries like me (The Vanishing at the Cecil Hotel fans unite!), this haunted house might bring us closer to experiencing what it’s like to spend the night in a haunted hotel.
If you truly want the blood-rushing experience of feeling your heart in your mouth, and movies the likes of Anabelle and Insidious have nothing on you, then don’t chicken out of the scare zones appearing at Halloween Horror Nights!
This year, Halloween Horror Nights presents two scare zones – The Dark Zodiac and The Hunt for Pontianak. The Dark Zodiac is where astrology takes a twisted turn as the fabled Horrorcle primes the 12 Dark Zodiacs to harness the power of their supreme leader, the 13th Zodiac. As an astrology buff myself, I’m most excited for this one – it seems like a twisted take on the 12 signs, and something scarier than the dreaded retrogrades.
The Hunt for Pontianak scare zone meanwhile follows a group of influencers challenging the internet to dive deep into the Malaysian jungle for their most dangerous live stream challenge – to hunt and trap Southeast Asia’s most vicious spirit, the Pontianak. This sounds like a Buzzfeed Unsolved episode gone terribly wrong, and I cannot be more intrigued.
But it’s not all scream and scares at Halloween Horror Nights! If you’re looking for an adrenaline rush and want to be part of a survival saga, then Escape the Breakout is just for you. Combining laser tag with puzzle-solving challenges, the activity takes fans deep into a facility where the world’s deadliest criminals serve out their sentences. Outfitted with laser tag gear, teams of five will have to solve twisted puzzles to escape the clutches of the blood-thirsty villains. Guests can enjoy the laser tag experience with an add-on price of S$38.
I’m sure all the running and screaming at Halloween Horror Nights is certain to build up your appetite. Not to fret, you can indulge in a deliciously wicked meal at KT Grill as part of the Die-ning with the Dead experience, which is replete with ghoulish entertainment. Available with a S$105 top-up, you can savour the horror-themed meal, paired with a comically cryptic journey into the other realm by the Spirit Medium and his creepy Henchmen, in search of the fabled Miss Fortune.
Finally, those raring to take a peek behind the thrills can go for the Monsters & Manifestations experience. Guests are guided on a tour hosted by The Keeper, where they can witness the magic behind various technical and sensorial effects, snap some truly ghastly photos, as well as enjoy a spooky performance, all with an add-on price of S$38.
Halloween Horror Nights has always been a crowd favourite, so make sure to beat the queues and purchase your tickets soon! The event will run across 19 nights, comprising 13 peak nights and 6 non-peak nights. Regular tickets are available at S$78 for peak nights and S$68 for non-peak nights.
If you’re looking to go with family and friends, to have a couple of hands to hold you through the haunted houses, check out The Frights for Four bundle deal of 4 tickets, available at S$388 for peak nights and S$338 for non-peak nights. For an even more exclusive experience, you can sign up for the R.I.P. Tour, which includes Halloween Horror Nights Express Unlimited for haunted houses and rides, Die-ning with the Dead and Monsters & Manifestations.
This Halloween, ghosting your friends when they make plans for Halloween Horror Nights is not an option, especially when you’re guaranteed your bang for your buck with all the spine-chilling activities. If you’re still feeling the jitters, let me leave you with a piece of advice: there’s one room you’re sure not to find the ghosts – the living room. That joke could warrant my way to the grave, but I’m not going there without snagging my fair share of blood-curling fun at Halloween Horror Nights 2022.
If you want to relive the frights from the last Halloween Horror Nights, do check out our article on 2019’s Halloween Horror Nights 9!
Visuals courtesy of Resorts World Sentosa (圣淘沙名胜世界).
