From the outside, The Darkness Haunted House appears to be a typical warehouse just like the many abandoned buildings in downtown St. Louis. However, upon entering the building a new realm reveals itself, one that takes the form of different pop culture and historical references, all utilized to create the perfect fear-inducing experience. The adventure starts in ancient Egypt where mummies and anthropomorphic cats guard the halls. A sarcophagus may open to reveal a corpse beyond both life and death, or perhaps there will be a greeting by a cult worshipper that follows through the darkness, shaking their ceremonial maracas and banging them against the walls. Next is the lab of a scientist gone mad. Experiments gone wrong (or horribly right) litter the path ahead, including disfigured bodies surrounded by their missing limbs, plants grown to new and dangerous heights and a butcher shop that’s serving more than the typical bacon and beef steaks. After those encounters is the final section, the clown rooms. It starts with an area representing Pennywise from the classic IT series. Special glasses are then provided which reveal hidden aspects of the surrounding area and make the walls and objects spin.

The Darkness is a very entertaining experience. The fear experienced in their facility is equal to that of actual fear found on a dark, lonely road or when the police are searching for a criminal who escaped locally. Anything could be around the next corner and they made it very easy to get anxious about that fact by separating the sections with dark, plastic door strips. This combined with the dark environment made for a tense experience that is sure to cause shivers. The actors are well practised and play their characters well. They also have fantastic vocal chords because they scream over and over again with each round of running the house. The rest of the house itself is well-thought out and has stunning decorations. Overall, The Darkness is a great time and well worth the time and money to attend.