I've always had mixed feelings about fall. Even though I'm finished with my formal education, I still don't enjoy the mindset that it's the back to school season. But once you get over that hump, it quickly becomes one of my favorite times of year because of one simple holiday - Halloween, something I think I'll be relishing this year more than ever as it's the first time I'll be in charge of turning our modest suburban home into a landscape of nightmares. To hell with what the neighbors think.
Universal Studios in Orlando, FL seems to feel the same way. After turning the park into Silent Hill last year, Universal will be offering up a fright fest in the spirit of the video game franchise that first spawned the "survival horror" genre - Resident Evil. The company's Japanese park has been doing the same thing for years, but it's the first time that we'll be able to get a taste of things stateside.
Between Sept. 20 and Nov. 2, the theme park is becoming Raccoon city circa Resident Evil 2 and Resident Evil 3: Nemesis. Like in years past, an array of different mazes will be the main source of scares this year.
As you might expect, the Resident Evil maze will contain some of RE2's more bizarre creatures: "Raccoon City is overrun with Umbrella Corporation's most terrifying experiments, and the only option is complete destruction. You'll need to duck and dodge Lickers, Hunters, and Nemesis himself if you want any chance of escaping Capcom's video game terrors before missiles send everything back to hell," reads the official description on Universal's site for the exhibit.
Don't count on UBCS troops to help you, once you enter that maze, you're on your own. But one tip, if you hear a voice muttering, "STARS..." from behind a wall...run, there's absolutely nothing good that will come from that direction.
Other maze themes this year include "Evil Dead," "The Cabin in the Woods," "The Walking Dead," "An American Werewolf in London," and more. Check the video below for a brief look at the Resident Evil maze.
