The Scream Machine Review (2018)

The Scream Machine has 28 actors on average per night. In our opinion that seems low compared to what we experienced! This haunt is packed full of actors at every turn. The security guard at the beginning was extremely engaging and had great dialogue. He used his props well and kept us on edge, especially when we were forced to follow his orders! The cast was obviously a high point of this haunt, going full-throttle all the way through. All of the actors were professional, stayed in character, and nobody stood out in a negative way.

Without giving too much away, there was a character who was an expert at moving around in the dark without us knowing. This ‘being’ was great at positioning himself in scary ways only appearing when the lights would come on for short periods of time. A truly frightening experience!

Another favorite was the clown, who had perfect timing when we entered his scene and his dialogue carried us all the way through. He was a favorite among our group, especially because we share a love for popcorn!

Outside of the handful of actors with involved dialogue, there were many actors conducting pop scares which definitely have their place. Overall, the actor’s engagement was authentic, devoted and well-executed.

The actor’s costumes all appeared to be well-thought out and they had quite a bit of detail. Again, we loved the clowns’ costume from the hat all the way down to the shoes; this was an impressive wardrobe.

One small issue we had with the costumes was with Dr. Strach’s. Even though it was a good costume and fit with his character, the way his face was covered made it very difficult to understand him. We were straining to catch every other word, as his portion was very important to hear leaving us feeling disappointed we could not catch all of the story. Not to mention all the other loud sounds going on at the time.

The makeup was very professional looking and a few masks were spotted. Only one costume seen could have been distressed a little and looked rather ‘clean’ for the area it was used in. Other than that, the makeup and wardrobes were distinctive and one-of-a-kind.

The scenes and props within The Scream Machine are of great quality. The artwork on the walls and the detail put into the scenes were impressive. The Scream Machine provides the appearance outside of just another, ‘haunt in a strip mall.’ However, the use of space and floor to ceiling detail leaves you experiencing otherwise. We were quite impressed by the high-quality of special effects used within this haunt, some so good we will not spoil them for you!

In particular, the scene with spiders was a very creepy experience and not one we have seen before! Especially for one of our team members with the Arachnophobia fear! Also, the use of the bedroom and all accompanying scenes transported you into a real home with a great use of those props. The scenes are quite original which is expected as the theme within the haunt is one-of-a-kind as well.

One scene that seemed to be a little lacking was the asylum/jail type scene with the insane asylum/jailer actor. There was not much going on in that room and it could be explored a little more especially due to the space available.

The use of music, sounds, and those areas without added sounds were appropriate throughout. The Dr’s lab was especially memorable.

Overall the sounds, sights, and feelings of The Scream Machine were top notch!

We loved the theme of The Scream Machine which is very unique and interesting. Dr. Strach was a brain surgeon who wanted to cure people’s fears. He created The Scream Machine and had patients attend in order to make them experience their fear so he could then use it to cure them.

This theme, however, could be easily lost within the haunt. Dr. Strach talks about it when you meet him, but again, because we could not easily understand him due to the loud noises and his bandage-covered face, we were not able to connect those dots. Luckily, the haunt owners informed us about the theme after and looking back, it did all make sense. The theme is a great one and we enjoyed hearing about it, but perhaps some signage before entering could elaborate on the theme a little more. The haunt does explore all of the many fears Dr. Strach encountered and these were carried throughout the haunt well.

Due to the intense, non-stop action within this haunt, the Scare Factor is pretty high! There are few times where you get to catch your breath and take a break from being assaulted with loud noises, actors, or innovative props. It has been one of the highest, action-packed haunts we have been to! The actors timing caught us off guard and the mix of all different types of scares were spot on.

One place for improvement could be the finale as nothing screamed out at us,
“Hey this is it! The last scare!”

The Scream Machine successfully placed us in the fears Dr. Strach was seeking; Claustrophobia, Nyctophobia, and Coulrophobia among others.

It took our team about 17 minutes to make our way through The Scream Machine. The haunt definitely felt like it was long enough, with all the action packed into those walls it seemed like it took us much longer to venture through. With general admission only being $18; that is a minutes per dollar score of .94, which equals money well spent in our eyes.

However, we were told the time it takes to go through varies for each group, but the haunt owners have tried to implement ways to slow down the groups going through to make the time inside even longer. Apparently, people get so scared they simply run through as quickly as possible. The Scream Machine uses their space well even with the constraints of being inside of a strip mall.

Also available were snacks, drinks, bathrooms, and two 5-minute escape rooms. Our team did go through one escape room and we successfully escaped in time!

General Admission – $18
VIP Fast Pass – $25
Two additional 5 Minute Escape Rooms – $5