This year’s theme of Edmonton’s scariest haunted house, Deadmonton, is The New Dark Ages. It is a post-apocalyptic world in which humanity is struggling to save what’s left of civilization. The team at the Deadmonton haunted house did a phenomenal job at capturing the essence of a “New Dark Age.”

Outside of the house, they had a town set up to immerse participants in the terrifying world of the dark ages. There were vendors set up with animal carcasses on display, a trade and barter shop, and even a tattoo artist ushering people in to be subjected to his art. It gave the customers a sense of this new world and overall heightened the experience. 

After enjoying the town and the new civilization that had risen after the apocalypse, we were greeted by a sergeant who showed us the way to the haunted house. The house itself was a quarantine facility filled with endless horrors. Upon entering the facility, we were met with a loud siren, smoke, red lights, and instant terror. I have never been through a production this elaborate, and I was not disappointed. Every room was decorated from top to bottom, and the actors were in extreme prosthetics and costumes. 

Although I don’t remember every room due to my fear, there are a few of the rooms that stood out. The first section we walked into was the main part of the facility, which had crazy plagued people in cages screaming and reaching out at us. There were dismantled bodies hanging from the ceilings, and enough blood and gore to satisfy all your gruesome needs. My personal favourite was a mad scientist lab that contained body parts in jars, test tubes, and green lights that lit up the room. 

After the facility, we stumbled into a house. Each room of the house had its own creepy theme. The kitchen had probably the scariest creature I have ever seen eating a body sprawled out on his dining table. In the bedroom, a priest was performing an exorcism. I mistakenly stared directly at the bed resulting in a horrifying girl leaping out at me from under the mattress. 

After the house, we were led through an outdoor-themed area and a garage ultimately leading up to what I thought was the most terrifying part. They had a section where I felt like I was being suffocated between two bouncy castles. I had to squeeze my way through for what felt like an eternity until I reached the final rooms of the haunted house. 

The last few rooms consisted of me and my group running for our lives until we saw the light of the gift shop. Overall, the experience was incredible. I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys blood and gore. I went in with a group of strangers and came out hugging all of them because we made it through a horrifying experience together. It is worth checking out and supporting the incredible team over at Deadmonton haunted house!