It’s that time of the year again. Ghouls, goblins and witches are getting ready to come out. But for those who want to experience a scare now, Netherworld, “a walk-through dark attraction filled with terrifying live actors, amazing special effects and incredible monsters,” according to their website, is open for business.
Located on I-85 near Jimmy Carter Boulevard (6624 Dawson Blvd Norcross, GA 30093), Netherworld is not an average haunted house. It is three haunted houses in one, each one having a different theme. There are “The Terror of Tiki Island,” “Abomination”, and “Slaughterhouse.”
The premise behind “Tiki Island” is you are shipwrecked on a mysterious island with strange sounds, animals, and idols. You walk round the island until “at last you reach a massive stone god lurking behind a bloodstained altar. The ritual can now begin.the sacrifice has arrived.” In “Abomination”, “From the foulest pits of the NETHERWORLD surge a horde of huge savage monsters! Massive brutal things coursing with evil intelligence hunt humans and drag them away ALIVE, screaming into the darkness! Lead by a nightmarish WARLORD, these things cannot be stopped, unless the books that summoned them are destroyed.” In “Slaughterhouse,” something lurks in an abandoned meat processing plant. “Local teens say that the place, long ago closed for selling tainted meat, still runs on moonless nights. Some believe an inbred tribe of cannibal squatters hides in the twisted corridors, packing their latest victims into cans for later feasting.” It is operating for unknown reasons and processing the other white meat, humans.
“Abomination” is decent. There are a few scares, but nothing too different. For the most part, the mechanical creatures just looked weird instead of scary. The human counterparts had the intended scare effect. Tiki Island is very different and original because it’s in 3-D and requires special 3-D glasses. The different colors and shapes are definitely interesting but not scary at all. This haunted house is clearly for the kids.
“The Slaughterhouse” is the best one of the three and should only be seen by adults. Without giving too much away, here is why this is the best one: it takes claustrophobia and fear of darkness to another level with extremely cramped hallways and no lighting at all. This method was very effective, except for the random running into walls.
Ticket prices are a little steep. “Abomination” sells at $15, “Abomination” and another haunted house sells at $20, and all three are $25. “Slaughterhouse” is the only one really worth seeing and $20 seems to be on the pricey side, even with “Abomination” added in. Discounted tickets and coupons are available by joining Netherworld’s mailing list at www.fearworld.com.
Here are a few tips about Netherworld for the haunted house uninitiated. If holding onto someone makes you feel safe, then bring a friend, because strangers will probably tire of your craven cowardice before too long. If you don’t like to be scared, then be in the middle of the group, because the people in the front and behind the group will get all the good scares.
If you are going to a haunted house to get in the mood for Halloween, then go towards the end of the month. It takes about one hour to see all three houses and it will probably take longer as the month progresses due to longer lines.
Netherworld is a very scary experience. However, it probably doesn’t merit paying for all three of the haunted houses.
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