And I will start this off... Quick and to the point. I will leave the detailed reviews to the pros... And those who have gone more than one time.
Josh (bobo's) HHN 23 Review:
Let me start with the obvious.. This year kicked the **** out of last year... I am not saying that this year's worst house was better than last year's best.. I mean the event in whole. The reviews got me excited to go and everything was so positive.
Streets:
This year: There were streets... The props looked cool, the actors seemed into their roll. The only MEAH I saw was walking into the Barn the first walker I came up to actually just put his hands in his pockets and lean up against the wall. there could have been a few more walkers in the barn. The well walker looked cool but they should have had some goo flowing out of him into the well and cycle back up...
Bike walker was cool. It is neat that USO has someone with no legs that is always ready to rock and roll! They always had a crown around that walker.
Walker eating the Deer... HMMM they actually had this prop uncovered and the sound rolling without the Actor in place when I walked past the first time... once I strolled back through all was there and the fog added to the scene..
The campsite was cool! I expected this area to be trashed from weeks of use but it is still holding strong. I saw a few scares that made this set worth it's while.
The Clear- MEAH needs more actors and props.
Atlanta- The tank was awesome looking but has a lot more potential if they take down the walls and let the actors use it for a prop.. There was one dead body on the sand bags that looked too real and my wife would go nowhere near it because she was afraid it would jump at her.
the freeway/SF streets... again kind of MEAH but I liked how these actors would always rush the fire ball when set off.
Chainsaw drill team!!!! Ok let me start by saying there has not been a year that the chainsaws have not almost made my wife pee her pants (last year we missed it due to no actors out in the rain) This year did not disappoint.. There were a couple of CDT members that were just annoying and loved the "hey my saw is a dick and I can make it look like I am humping you or cutting off your legs with it" but then there were the real pros... They know how to creep and get behind their scare... One guy was able to get my wife 5 times between exiting Afterlife, the bathroom, coke mister, and getting on and off the bridge. I even saw them target one couple where the girl literally starting balling in fear.. (she was left alone after this) the female drill instructor was having fun with me, and called out my HHN rumors shirt...
I was just happy that the streets felt alive again. Last year the rain and roaming actors made me miss real zones. It is not perfect yet but much improved from last year.
Houses: Without going into deep for each one I will just list my favorites in order from best to not so much...
AWIL... Enough said this house has taken number one in my books.. Yes puppets have taken over the best house in the 5 years I have been going.. The actors in the house were on their game just enough not to screw up a good thing. Those damn wolves scared the holy hell out of my group. Even the last one in the house got me both times I went through... I saw it stared it down and BOOM still jumped like a little baby. I loved it! Cool house all around.. But that being said... next passion project put the wolves to bed and move on do not over kill this house.
CITW- The house was cool- each set looked nice and the actors felt like they were on both times through... Someone called me out by name in this house the second time through probably around 9:00-9:15 The clown scared the hell out of me while I was looking for Jack.
Resident Evil- This house LOOKED awesome It gets #3 this year for the sets alone. someone in the Nemesis on the Gatling gun yelled RUMORS and Nemesis pointed the gun at me and stayed there as I walked through, causing me to get scared as I was walking past him not paying attention
Evil dead- Sets were too cool! I almost thought I was walking through during a cast change halfway through but just might have been a malfunction. speaking of malfunction.. if the blood puke is not working figure out something else in the room... the actor on the floor is still acting like they are getting puked on with no puke...
TWD.. (please no more) I love the show but am tired of it owning HHN... The house this year made last year's house look like a junior high hunted classroom.. Much better, more detail, and I like that they put noticeable walkers from the show in the house"
Havoc/ La LLorona/ Afterlife: All kind of tie for me. I am not saying they are bad houses at all just not a WOW factor.. Each house had its own charm to it.
La Llorona- Beautiful looking sets (a few taken from Forsaken) The bridge and drowned children was eerie as hell ... The facade was Epic.. some good scares in the house
Afterlife: Some neat effects that screwed with my eyes, a couple of scares I just feel that after the first couple of rooms Bobby the blade got lost in the acid trip and In-Between-2 took over.. Still a fun house.
Havoc 2: another house where I was called out by name and had a few good startles, I forgot that I was supposed to be on a train... Pointing a gun in my wife's face about got someone kicked in the balls... (she is not a fan) this house was still better than a couple last year...
The event felt alive again the reviews have the actors staying full of energy. The walkers on the street have to be in pain when they get home. are there things I would change in the event... sure.. I liked last years' "no area was safe" I think it would work with scare zones.. Put a smaller cap on "sold out" I know this will never happen but when there are 90 minute waits on a Thursday night with no closed schools on Friday it is getting too packed. I can get 90 minutes on Saturday and two extra hours. and the only thing I will always say is needed is MORE ACTORS!!!!
My countdown to HHN 24 has already begun... hopefully LT will keep me busy until then..