Forsaken Forest (Richmond, IN)
“Fear Has Been Awakened “
By Noah Wullkotte: jollypumpkin@aol.com
The weather was perfect that night. It was a little chilly, but great for this time of the year. The moon was barely peaking out from the clouds and I sensed something evil lurking in the woods. We were tormented by a clown with a tiara and a plague doctor as we waited in line. The guy in front of us mentioned how it was his first time going through a haunt.
Forsaken Forest is a very interactive haunt where you’re part of a living breathing nightmare. Cleanse your soul by putting your hands in water. Vampires are out for blood and they’ll do anything to get you. A mad doctor welcomes you to his laboratory. One poor girl has been infected. Will you be next? One of our favorite scenes is quite sadistic in nature. A girl is seen inside a mulcher. Press the button and watch her get shredded to bits. It’s a very unique effect that we haven’t seen at other haunts. It’s a nasty sight indeed.
The butcher shop has one horrifying and graphic scene where a girl’s face is ripped off by a sick freak. We loved how there were so many scary skits. This is a very action packed haunt. Some of the actors are even thrown around, attacked, choked and more. It’s very entertaining to say the least. The victims are some of the best around.
This is a very theatrical haunt with a haunting cast of characters. Granny is one hell of a woman that you don’t want to mess around with. She unfortunately meets her doom by the hands of Sheriff Bozo. If you enjoy flesh eating zombies then you’ll love Forsaken Forest. The living dead walk the earth tonight. They even shake a fence while trying to free themselves. Luckily the military is here to help.
Other scenes include a graveyard, cornfield and more. There are plenty of chainsaw maniacs at Forsaken Forest and they do a phenomenal job. Don’t trust what every character tells you because it might be the death of you. Two young girls scream their heads off. Apparently a monster has killed all their friends. This eventually leads to a very unique chainsaw entrapment that you have to see to believe. That’s all I’m going to say. There are clowns galore at Forsaken Forest. They’ll make you laugh, scream and hold a large ball. We don’t want to ruin all the scenes for you, so we’ll stop while we’re ahead.
Forsaken Forest is a very actor driven haunt. It’s emphasis is on scary scenes and crazy characters. That’s not to say that there aren’t some impressive props because there are. Audrey 2 is a massive plant monster that needs human blood to survive and grow. It’s straight out of Little Shop of Horrors. We haven’t seen this prop at other haunts. It’s definitely a standout and very memorable. Another prop we haven’t seen anywhere else is the massive Kraken. This legendary beast resembles a killer squid or octopus. Other props include a scarecrow, plague doctor, skeletons and more.
As we exited the haunt, a clown slid across the ground making sparks fly. We can’t say much more about the incredible night of fright we had at Forsaken Forest. From the introduction of C.U. Splatter (AKA Jack the Ripper) to the unique scenes of terror, we have very few complaints when it comes to this suspenseful haunted trail. It’s one of the best haunted trails we’ve experienced in years and it deserves larger crowds.
Total tour time is 30 minutes, but could be shorter or longer depending on how the various characters interact with you. Please visit www.forsakenhauntfearfest.com for ticket prices, events and more. Parking is free and across the street. There were various vendors when we visited. This included freshly squeezed lemonade, corn dogs, deep fried Oreos, candy, drinks, haunt merchandise, crafts and more. A skeleton DJ was spinning tunes and there’s a photo-op area with decorations where you can get your photo taken. It can get cold this time of the year, but don’t worry. There are plenty of fire barrels to keep you warm and toasty.
Forsaken Forest has really stepped it up this year. They blew us away with their creativity and the way it’s unforgettably immersive. It’s an intense haunted trail you don’t want to miss out on. So head on out to Richmond, Indiana for Forsaken Forest and tell them City Blood sent you.
Length-10 Design-8 Props-8 Acting-9 Scare Effect-9
Final Stab: 8.8
www.forsakenhauntfearfest.com