Basement of the Dead & Shattered 3D Nightmare 2018
Aurora, IL
Reviewed on: Saturday, October 6, 2018
Buried deep within the basement of a 100-year old building, nestled in the middle of downtown Aurora, lies Basement of the Dead. This attraction has been torturing its patrons in the dark since 2003, and has been ranked on our “Top 13” list for many years. Each and every year, the creative minds behind this attraction come up with new ways to capture the audience and help add to the already creepy aura of the basement.
For those that are afraid of the dark, this is definitely the perfect location to confront your demons head-on. Set within a real basement, there’s no fake odor here, and the cobwebs, one can only hope that they are all fake inside. For some attractions, the perfect lighting to set the scene makes the room, here, the dark is their best friend. Putting you out of your comfort zone and not knowing what’s lurking around the corner, behind the wall, and even what’s creeping above you. Actors are lurking and hungry, and attacks are filled to the brim with precision and perfect execution.
The torturous challenges are far from few and include favorites like the zombie containment area, doll room, and red laser room. The masterminds behind this attraction prey on all your senses, and do so relentlessly. One of our highlight rooms this year was the church. With the perfect number of nuns scattered throughout, and Satan ready to be worshipped, the actors and actresses within this room knew exactly how to play to the fears of patrons with flawless timing erasing any assemblage of a comfort zone.
After exiting the Basement, patrons are directed towards their second attraction, “Shattered 3D Nightmare”. Bringing us back into the darkness, with a twist, this 3D haunt gives its patrons a black light flashlight, 3D glasses, and the hope that you can make it out alive.
As you weave in and out, numerous actors lurking in the dark illuminate, they are blood-thirsty and ready to attack. Mix in an extraordinarily loud soundtrack playing within, the screams from within are muffled! The combination is deadly, and will make anyone jump out of their comfort zone and on to the person next to them. If clowns aren’t your thing, make sure to hold on to that person in front of you and let’s hope you make it out alive!
While the attraction may be inside the musty walls of the building, the entire experience starts and ends outside in front of the entrance. Basement of the Dead sets up the perfect atmosphere to those waiting in line, as they have a wide variety of actors roaming about, hourly giveaways and one of the best DJs we have ever encountered at a haunted attraction. It’s an overall Halloween party that can be heard all the way to the street!
Monsters of note: A wide eclectic cacophony of clowns and of course, Sugar Daddy himself, who definitely knew how to hype up the crowd with his dance moves! (And a special shout out to our most favorite vampire and missing Zamiel.)
The Bottom Line: Another spectacular showing that continues to raise the bar higher and higher in 2018! Combining a setting that simply can’t be replicated, a team of actors and builders that somehow draw the worst fears that you can imagine, and a very healthy dose of a fun and exciting atmosphere outside, this is truly one of the best all-in-one Halloween experiences anywhere!
