As we continue to approach Halloween, many people attempt to gain enough courage to enter the haunted house that has been terrifying people for well over a decade. However, is Erebus truly as scary as it is made out to be, or is it just another overrated haunted house?

Erebus Haunted House, located in Pontiac, Michigan, was first opened in 2000, and since has been rated one of the scariest haunted houses in the country by several organizations such as Reader’s Digest. This famous attraction held the Guinness World Record for the world’s largest walk-through haunted house from 2005-2009, as it contains four stories worth of terrifying monsters and pathways to travel through.

Erebus definitely crosses the line in terms of implementing common fears and phobias throughout their haunted house. Whether a person has a fear of clowns, spiders, or small spaces, Erebus makes sure to include all of these on the different levels of the house. The haunted attraction even goes as far as to simulate what being buried alive would be like, as well as trapping you in different spaces.

The special effects and lighting both contributed to the creepy atmosphere of Erebus. As you walk through, it seems as if there is an endless amount of special effects as you travel through fog, and laser beams that hit you from every angle. Also, in almost every room you entered strobe lights flashed, making it impossible to see the monsters approaching you as you try to follow the path leading to the next room.

Along with special effects, the sounds and music played throughout the attraction creates a fearful, tense environment for those who dare to walk through. There was not a moment during the walk that you could not hear the screams of the patients locked in an asylum or the demonic laughing of the clowns that followed closely behind with baseball bats attached to their sides. The heavy metal music that blasted throughout certain areas of the house made it impossible to hear if a monster was walking behind you, which constantly kept you on edge as you continue to walk.

The most horrifying part of the whole Erebus experience would have to be the monsters grabbing at your wrists and ankles in the moments you would expect it the least. There were numerous times during the haunted house where some sort of creature would grab your feet, as you tried to manoeuvre in and out between certain paths. Other times people would follow behind you grabbing your shoulder or arm in the dark, as you tried to quickly get away from them, running down the path as fast as possible.

The experience at Erebus, overall, was amazing. However, the attraction is extremely overrated. Based on the twenty-eight dollar tickets and the advertisements stating it’s one of “America’s best haunted attractions,” I was very much expecting to not make it through all four floors. About halfway through the haunted house, there was a point I got use to all the clowns and monsters jumping out at me, and I was no longer getting scared.

The speed passes, as well, are not worth their value. When purchasing the tickets online, Erebus offers an extra five dollars for a speed pass that allows you to enter the haunted house within your first thirty minutes or less upon arriving. However, after waiting approximately forty minutes in line with the speed pass, I still entered the attraction the same time as several other groups who did not have the speed pass, but arrived at the same time as me.

Erebus Haunted House definitely leaves a person with their heart racing and terrifying images that will be engrained in their mind forever. Despite the overpriced tickets, Erebus is such a fun, but scary experience that anyone would enjoy.

4/5 Stars.