Basement of the Dead & Shattered 3D Nightmare 2017

Basement of the Dead & Shattered 3D Nightmare

Aurora, IL
Reviewed on: Friday, October 13, 2017

Chosen as Haunted House Chicago’s Top Haunted Attraction of the Year for 2016, Basement of the Dead & Shattered 3D Nightmare is located in the heart of downtown Aurora, Illinois.  For those that have never experienced this attraction, you couldn’t ask for a more perfect setting: dark, dirty and a 100-year-old basement.  To us, that screams the perfect location for a haunted attraction!  Opened back in 2003, this attraction has come a long way over time and through a new set of owners, has shown patrons that they plan on being around for a long time!

The creative minds behind Basement of the Dead come up with some pretty crazy ideas in the off-season and work hard all year round to produce an amazing show each and every October.  In addition to running tactical laser tag and room escapes, when it’s not October, they are an all-around entity of all things Halloween and horror.

What sets Basement aside from other attractions you might ask?  The outdoor spectacle that is between the parking garage and the entrance of the basement.  It’s as if you are in the epi-center of a nightclub, as a costume-clad DJ plays music to ramp up the audience during the wait time.  Throw in a handful of aggressive roaming actors, looking for a taste of new blood.  It’s truly a sight to experience first-hand.

As the door to the entrance of the ‘Basement’ opens, all light and sounds of the outside world disappear as you are swallowed into the darkness.  It is dark, dirty, and has the smells of a real basement. (Oh wait, it IS a real basement!) No faking here. No sinister scents. It’s the REAL thing.

As you are whisked away into the darkness, the creative minds threw us for a loop when creating a new path!  Throwing us off, the new design path was well welcomed and gave our group a few great startles! The whole time not knowing where the actors are lurking, whether they are behind you or below you, or even in some cases, above you! Allowing only the faintest glimmer of light in some areas, the amount of detail put into these rooms is mesmerizing.

Throughout the trek, your body is tossed through a variety of horrifying scenes and experiences.  Complete with perfectly place air cannons and hanging props, it puts patrons out of their element, all while trying to escape the dark.  Some might say that the darkness is a haunted attractions worst enemy, but here at Basement, it’s the PERFECT setting to make the story come to life.

Weaving through scene after scene, what visit wouldn’t be complete without a trip to the church of the underworld? Expertly constructed catacombs, dimly lit by candles provide the perfect setting for praising the dark lord!

Attending a satanic ritual not your cup of tea? Well don’t worry, another incredibly memorable highlight brings patrons right into the middle of a doll room, complete with a life sized doll house.  Let’s just say that finding your way out should be on your list of priorities, as the actors in this room are relentless!  Always capturing our attention as well, are the silent hill-esque nurses, Dr. Trauma and the other creatures residing within the basement.

If you manage to escape the fear-inducing pitch black of ‘Basement’, don’t worry “Shattered 3D Nightmare,” is next. Their second attraction, advertised as a 3D circus/clown-themed attraction, we were handed our 3D glasses and a blacklight flashlight.  As you are left to find your way through the clown-clad maze, we turned on our lights, and hoped it would be enough to save us from the darkness within.  As our beams of light tossed against the wall, exploding the fluorescent colors that came from the floors, ceilings, props and even actors!

The Bottom Line:  With two attractions that complement each other perfectly for a perfect one-two punch, a wonderful group of actors inside and outside.  And let’s not forget one of the darkest attractions in the Chicagoland area, makes this the perfect must-see for your Halloween adventures!

– Official Haunted House Chicago Review Team Review