Author - Jerry Paxton

BATTLETECH Flashpoint Available for Pre-Order

2018/10/19
Jerry Paxton
Geek News, News, Trailers / Videos, Windows PC News

STOCKHOLM – Oct. 18, 2018 – Paradox Interactive and Harebrained Schemes today announced that pre-orders for BATTLETECH Flashpoint are now live. Flashpoint is BATTLETECH’s first expansion and will launch on November 27th for $19.99 MSRP, on Steam, GOG, and Paradox Plaza. Two new money-saving bundles are also available today – the BATTLETECH Season Pass and the BATTLETECH Mercenary Collection, a super-deluxe edition.

Flashpoint features branching multi-mission contracts that will draw players into the machinations and feuds of the Great Houses. New ‘Mechs, a new mission type, a new tropical biome and more are in store in BATTLETECH’s first expansion. Check out this handy new video with more info from Mitch Gitelman, BATTLETECH Game Director and co-founder of Harebrained Schemes: “Four things to know about BATTLETECH Flashpoint.

The new Season Pass includes all current game content, plus Flashpoint and the next two planned BATTLETECH Expansions, at a discounted price of $49.99 MSRP. In addition to Flashpoint, the Season Pass contains explosive metropolitan combat in the Urban Warfare expansion plus another unannounced expansion in the works for 2019. This week only, save an additional 20% off the Season Pass with a special launch discount.

The super-deluxe Mercenary Collection is the ultimate BATTLETECH bundle, including the Deluxe Digital Edition and the Season Pass, for access to all future expansions, in addition to all current game content. The Mercenary Collection is out now for $89.99 MSRP (a $20 savings over buying the individual products).

Here’s the place for Flashpoint pre-orders, both new bundles, and more info: https://store.steampowered.com/app/911930/BATTLETECH_Flashpoint/

Mutant Year Zero: Road to Eden Trailer Gives Insight Into the Game

2018/10/18
Jerry Paxton
Geek News, News, PlayStation 4 News, Trailers / Videos, Windows PC News, Xbox One News

OSLO, Norway – October 18th, 2018 – On December 4th, in just under two months, Mutant Year Zero: Road to Eden will make its debut on PC, Xbox One, and PlayStation 4. The game combines XCOM-like tactical combat with real-time exploration, stealth, and story as it puts players on a journey across a post-human Sweden where anthropomorphic animals scramble to survive in the remains of human civilization. Throughout the game, players can seamlessly jump between real-time exploration and tactical combat.

Since the game’s announcement in February (where the characters Dux and Bormin undoubtedly stole the show), Mutant Year Zero: Road to Eden have been collecting both awards and praise from press who have gotten hands-on time with the game. But, if you’ve been living under a rock for the past few months, the developers at The Bearded Ladies’ studio in Sweden are ready to show you what the game is all about.

In the brand-new video released today, the team takes you behind the scenes at their Malmö studio as they give you the overview of what the game is all about and what players can look forward to. You can also find a written overview posted on www.mutantyearzero.com.

Now available for PC pre-order on buy.mutantyearzero.com, the game will be available in a Standard Edition ($34.99) and a Deluxe Edition ($54.99). The Deluxe Edition includes a desktop wallpaper, digital artbook, digital soundtrack, and a digital copy of the Mutant Year Zero pen-and-paper RPG book. Pre-ordering the Standard Edition will give you a three-day head start at launch while pre-ordering the Deluxe Edition gives you the same head start as well as access to a Beta version of the game before launch. The game will also launch on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One on December 4th, simultaneously with PC.

Mutant Year Zero: Road to Eden is developed by The Bearded Ladies and published by Funcom. For more information, please visit the official website at www.mutantyearzero.com.

SLASH Releases Halloween Horror Nights Score on Spotify

2018/10/18
Jerry Paxton
Geek News, Halloween, News

Universal City, CA, October 18, 2018 – The original score GRAMMY award-winning and Rock-and-Roll Hall of Fame guitarist, SLASH, released the score composed and produced for Universal Studios Hollywood’s “Halloween Horror Nights” maze, “Universal Monsters,” which can now be heard around the world on Spotify, the free music streaming platform.

“Halloween Horror Nights” pays homage to iconic classic Monsters in this new maze by underscoring each of their unique attributes and reimagining them into terrifying modern day characters.  The Wolf Man, The Invisible Man, The Phantom of the Opera, Dracula, Dracula’s Bride, Frankenstein’s Monster, The Bride of Frankenstein and The Mummy are among those featured in the maze, to which SLASH composed a unique, complex composition that added a haunting dimension to the experience.

“This maze is the ultimate melding of two great icons, the Universal Classic Monsters and one of the greatest guitarists of all time,” said John Murdy, Executive Producer of “Halloween Horror Nights” at Universal Studios Hollywood. “SLASH has great love and respect for these legendary characters, and we knew his unique musical genius would be the perfect ingredient to help bring the Universal Monsters to life as a ‘Living Horror Movie’ for modern day audiences.”

The six original tracks that SLASH composed for the “Universal Monsters” maze, as well as the original track he previously composed for the “Halloween Horror Nights” “Clowns 3D” maze, can be heard here on Spotify and include:

  • “We Belong Dead” – inspired by Frankenstein Monster’s immortal line from the explosive finale of The Bride of Frankenstein, this track fuses Gothic themes with a contemporary EDM/Dubstep feel to set the tone for the horrific experience to come.
  • “The Danse of the Dead” – inspired by “Danse Macabre,” the late medieval art movement that celebrated “the universality of death” and influenced the famous masquerade ball scene from The Phantom of the Opera, this track sets the stage for the Monster’s Masquerade sequence in the maze.
  • “The Final Scare” – this guitar-driven, up-tempo track combines an old school Punk Rock feel with modern electronic sounds to drive the adrenaline-fueled finale of the maze, where multiple monsters attack.
  • “Universal Monsters Rising” – SLASH’s signature lead guitar joins with the mournful sound of a tolling church and the sharp, staccato stabs of violins to call guests to the graveyard, where the Universal Monsters are waiting to rise again.
  • “The Collection Room/Dracula’s Lair” – composed to accompany The Mummy and Dracula sections of the maze, this track transitions between Middle Eastern and Eastern European instrumentation to help bring to life these two Classic Monsters.
  • “Monsters, Maniacs and Madmen (Universal Monsters Maze Medley)” – this compilation track, encompassing several scenes within the maze, takes a single haunting melody and transforms it throughout the arrangement, handing off from piano to guitar, violin, pipe organ and even the synthesized/sampled Opera singer’s voice to create a series of sinister moods.
  • “Sweet Licks (music from “Clowns 3D”) – composed for 2014’s “Clowns 3D” maze, “Halloween Horror Night’s” first collaboration with SLASH, this track creates a creepy carnival vibe to help tell the story of a diabolical family of clowns who run a twisted ice cream factory.

“As a fan of horror movies and of ‘Halloween Horror Nights,’ I jumped at the chance to once again collaborate with Universal Studios Hollywood to produce what can be interpreted as a soundtrack for the maze,” said SLASH.  “Similar to the way music affects a film, I wanted to compose a score for the legions of infamous characters featured in the maze to elicit a greater sense of terror for the guests.  In the end, the goal was to ultimately make the guests feel as if they are playing an integral role in a classic Monster movie.”

SLASH and his band, SLASH FT. MYLES KENNEDY AND THE CONSPIRATORS which features SLASH (guitars), MYLES KENNEDY (lead vocals), TODD KERNS (bass/backing vocals), drummer BRENT FITZ (drums) and rhythm guitarist FRANK SIDORIS (rhythm guitar)just wrapped a sold-out, nationwide, headlining tour in celebration of the release of their new album LIVING THE DREAM. The band’s third full-length release and first new music in over four years, LIVING THE DREAM (Snakepit Records/RoadRunner Records) is available for purchase or streaming: HERE. Fueled by the Top 10 rock song “Driving Rain,” its live-action, animated video as well as the best critical acclaim of their career, LIVING THE DREAM debuted with 10, Top 10 chart placements around the world.  The first single “Driving Rain” jumped to #6 this week and climbing–marks the band’s 6th consecutive, Top 10 single at radio and SLASH’s fastest-rising single ever in his solo career. The LOS ANGELES TIMES described LIVING THE DREAM as “his best work since the demise of Velvet Revolver. …full of “unexpected funk, boogie, blues and garage rock influences.” While ROLLING STONE declared the album “a biting blues filigree at the end of a riff, weeping solos full of long notes, boogie-woogie riffs.” Elsewhere, CLASSIC ROCK hailed “the bands third and Best Album, ‘The Great Pretender’ is the album’s masterpiece and one of the best things Slash has ever done.”

At its core, “Halloween Horror Nights” is an extension of the horror film legacy originated by Universal Pictures and introduced to audiences in the 1920s…with a staple of classic Universal Monsters that dominated the silver screen, including Dracula, The Phantom of the Opera, Frankenstein’s Monster and The Wolf Man.

To hear SLASH’s score in person as part of the “Universal Monsters maze, guest can purchase tickets to visit “Halloween Horror Nights at Hollywood.HalloweenHorrorNights.com. “Halloween Horror Nights” continues on October 4-7, 11-14, 18-21, 25-28, 31, and November 1-3, 2018.

“Halloween Horror Nights” at Universal Studios Hollywood brings together the sickest minds in horror to immerse guests in a living, breathing, three-dimensional world of terror. Featuring an all-new slate of unrivaled film production quality mazes, frightful scare zones and a fully re-imagined “Terror Tram” experience uniquely themed to today’s most definitive horror properties, “Halloween Horror Nights” will taunt, terrorize and torment guests with spine-chilling haunted attractions as part of Southern California’s most extreme Halloween experience.

For exciting updates and exclusive “Halloween Horror Nights” content, visit Hollywood.HalloweenHorrorNights.com, like Halloween Horror Nights – Hollywood on Facebook; follow @HorrorNights #UniversalHHN on Instagram, Twitter and Snapchat; and watch the terror come to life on Halloween Horror Nights YouTube.

Stellaris: Console Edition Release Date and Trailer

2018/10/18
Jerry Paxton
Geek News, News, PlayStation 4 News, Trailers / Videos, Xbox One News

STOCKHOLM – Oct. 18, 2018 – Paradox Interactive, a publisher and developer of games that aim for the stars, has announced that Stellaris: Console Edition, the console adaptation of the popular sci-fi grand strategy game Stellaris, will be launching in Q1 of 2019 for Xbox and PlayStation.

Featuring the same deep strategic gameplay, rich and diverse alien races and emergent storytelling, Stellaris: Console Edition puts the complexity of the galaxy at your thumbsticks. Whether you’re exploring the unknown, discovering the mysteries of the universe, or conquering it for the glory of your empire, console players have more inter-galactic strategy awaiting them than ever before.

Stellaris: Console Edition lets players:

  • Behold the enormity of space with procedurally generated galaxies with an untold number of planets to explore.

  • Encounter a myriad of wild, wacky, and dangerous alien races who may prove to be crucial trade partners or conquering forces hellbent on enslaving your civilization.

  • Take on strategic space warfare and resource management to ensure the survival and advancement of your empire.

  • Explore scientific anomalies and uncover technological wonders throughout the galaxy to mercilessly utilize them toward your own gains.

  • Govern your own fledgling empire and secure your power and agenda through manipulating internal policies, factions, traditions and more.

Stellaris: Console Edition Deluxe also includes the Plantoids Species Pack, Leviathans Story Pack, and the Utopia Expansion for the explorer ready to take on even more in their adventure. They will become available once they are released.

For more information about Stellaris: Console Edition, visit https://www.paradoxplaza.com/stellaris-console-edition/STELLARIS-CONSOLE-EDITION.html

Tag Team Unveils Laser TagRider

2018/10/17
Jerry Paxton
Geek News, News, Tech News

(Singapore) – October 17, 2018 – TAG TEAM today introduced Laser TAGRider, a first-of-its-kind gaming accessory that easily mounts onto any toy blaster to repurpose it for real-world laser tag and/or compatible PC/Mac and iOS mobile games.  Featuring Artificial Intelligence (A.I.) that learns and understands the loading and triggering mechanisms of the blaster it is mounted on, Laser TAGRider ensures the ultimate in playability.  A Kickstarter campaign launches today with a funding goal of $10,000 USD, and features limited Early Bird specials at $34 USD as well as several other rewards for backers to choose from – including delivery by Christmas 2018 for backers worldwide.

Laser TAGRider, which works with both battery-operated and pull/slide loaded toy blasters, does not require WiFi to play laser tag – it incorporates built-in sensors that show users when they get “hit,” recording damages right on the device. For players, this means there is no longer the need to purchase additional gear such as helmets and target vests to record game activities and scores.

It also means that laser tag games using Laser TAGRider can include an unlimited number of players.  And, when using Laser TAGRider to play laser tag, players can access three fun game modes: a) Basic (two modes), Professional (2 modes) and Team.  In Professional and Team games, Laser TAGRider allows players to select different gun functionality, including semi-automatic handguns or rifles, a machine gun, a shotgun, and more.  Each gun features different aspects that allow players to heighten their gameplay.

On top of being used to play laser tag, Laser TAGRider, when connected to WiFi, also easily converts any toy blaster into a light gun for compatible First-Person Shooter PC/Mac and iOS mobile games, including current TAG TEAM titles, TAG SHOT, TAG CODING, TAG TREASURE and TAG SPACE WAR.  All 4 games are available on the Apple App Store, with TAG SHOT and TAG CODING also available on Windows PC/Mac.

Game Descriptions:

  • TAG SHOT: players battle against renegade soldiers and zombies in a classic single player FIrst Person Shooter game.
  • TAG CODING: players learn coding and computational thinking through single player or group objectives.
  • TAG TREASURE: players use their hands to collect coins and potions, tapping, grabbing, and blocking with augmented reality technology.
  • TAG SPACE WAR: multiplayer game sees players piloting a spaceship using their iPad’s accelerometer to face off and see who can hit more targets and get more points and potions.

For more information about all TAG TEAM games, visit https://www.tagteaminc.sg/toys.

“Whether playing laser tag outside in the ‘real world’ or battling enemies on your computer screen, TAGRider delivers a unique gaming experience by adding functionality to blasters and toy guns you already have,” said Tony Tan, founder, TAG TEAM.  “TAGRider delivers a wide range of play options and games, while challenging players of all skill levels to take their best shot!”

Starlink: Battle for Atlas Out Now

2018/10/16
Jerry Paxton
Geek News, News, Nintendo Switch, Trailers / Videos

SAN FRANCISCO – October 16, 2018 – Today Ubisoft® announced that Starlink: Battle for Atlas™, an all-new action-adventure game developed by Ubisoft Toronto, is now available on Nintendo Switch, the PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system and the Xbox One family of devices. This open-world space saga features modular toy technology that allows players to assemble and customize real-world physical starships, link the starships to their game controller, and launch into an epic adventure across the Atlas star system, either in single player or with a friend in two-player split-screen local co-op. Each modular component and pilot attached to the starship appears instantly in-game, allowing players to directly affect the course of their battle in a meaningful way. The Starlink: Battle for Atlas Retail Starter Pack includes the game, one starship, one pilot, a variety of weapons, the Starlink controller mount, and a poster for the suggested retail price of $74.99 USD.

“Starlink: Battle for Atlas is a project born from our team’s passion for space and adventure games – it’s a game we imagined playing as kids, and we are thrilled to share it with players of all ages today,” said Matthew Rose, Producer at Ubisoft Toronto. “We can’t wait to see how players will use their imaginations to combine wings, weapons and pilots to create the starship of their dreams to help them defeat the Forgotten Legion and save the Atlas star system.”

Starlink starship components and pilots are all compatible with each other*, allowing players to take full advantage of their imagination to creatively mix and match parts to adapt and overcome any challenge they will face in the game. The modular toys and dynamic combat mechanics let players explore multiple ways to achieve objectives and approach any obstacle by experimenting with different pilot abilities, weapons, and ships, unleashing devastating combos upon their enemies.

Starlink: Battle for Atlas also offers open-world gameplay, spanning a full star system which players can explore with total freedom. Built from the ground up in the Snowdrop engine, the game allows seamless travel through and around the exotic alien worlds of the Atlas star system, teeming with life and unique challenges across seven different planets.

The diverse cast of characters in Starlink will team up with ace pilot and leader of the Star Fox team, Fox McCloud, and pilot his iconic Arwing ship in exclusive add-on content for the Nintendo Switch. Players can play through the entire campaign as Fox McCloud and embark on exclusive missions in Atlas to take down Star Fox team rival Wolf O’Donnell.

Players can start building their collection with the Starlink: Battle for Atlas Retail Starter Pack, which includes the game, one starship, one pilot, a variety of weapons, the Starlink controller mount, and a poster. The Nintendo Switch Starter Pack will also include the Arwing star ship as well as the Fox McCloud pilot. Players can expand their collection and experience with additional ships, weapons, and pilots available separately for purchase. In addition, Starlink: Battle for Atlas allows players to continue their adventure without their physical toys at any time, unlocking digital versions of each physical component when connected to the game – a great feature for those players wanting to play their game on the go on Nintendo Switch.

For more information on the full Starlink: Battle for Atlas collection and the different ways to play the game, please visit www.starlinkgame.com.

theHunter: Call of the Wild 2019 Edition Out Now

2018/10/16
Jerry Paxton
Geek News, News, PlayStation 4 News, Trailers / Videos, Windows PC News, Xbox One News

Vienna, Austria; Stockholm, Sweden, October 16th, 2018: It’s hunting season again – grab your equipment and get ready to range through the idyllic German farmlands of Hirschfelden, the Layton Lake District in North America or the icy Medved-Taiga National Park in Siberia, where seasoned hunters can prove their skills. But the biggest challenge, with the largest and most dangerous animals awaits in the wild and savage landscapes of the Vurhonga Savanna in Africa!

This latest DLC is already be part of theHunter: Call of the Wild™ 2019 Edition, that includes the main game as well as all previous DLCs plus the new Vurhonga Savanna for an SRP of 39.99 $ on PC and 44.99 $ on consoles. theHunter: Call of the Wild™ 2019 Edition is out today for PC, PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system and the Xbox One family of devices including Xbox One X.

Control Developer Diary 5

2018/10/16
Jerry Paxton
Geek News, News, PlayStation 4 News, Trailers / Videos, Windows PC News, Xbox One News

October 15, 2018 – Check out Remedy Entertainment’s (Max Payne series, Alan Wake) latest dev diary for Control, the highly-anticipated supernatural action adventure game slated to release in 2019.

The dev diary goes behind the scenes at the game’s cast and characters. Remedy Creative Director Sam Lake, along with voice-actors, James McCaffrey (Max Payne series) and Courtney Hope (Control), shed more light on Control’s characters, their motivations and actions in this sci-fi adventure thrill ride.

The dev diary can be found here:

Control is scheduled to release in 2019 for PS4/PS4 Pro, Xbox One/Xbox One X, Steam for PC (digital only).

For more information on Control and to stay up to date with the latest information, visit the official game website and be sure to follow Control on our social channels:

  •  Website: http://www.controlgame.com/
  •  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Control.Remedy/
  •  Twitter: https://twitter.com/ControlRemedy

Dreadnought Launch Trailer

2018/10/15
Jerry Paxton
Geek News, News, Trailers / Videos, Windows PC News

HOUSTON – Oct. 15, 2018 – Six Foot has announced that Dreadnought, the free-to-play tactical shooter featuring massive capital ships, has officially launched* on Steam for Windows PC today. Titled Command the Colossal, this launch update to the game includes a new visual look with new UI enhancements, as well as support for two additional languages: Russian and simplified Chinese. PC players can link their Dreadnought and Steam accounts to continue playing with their existing achievements.

“One of our top priorities is bringing all our players new and unique experiences throughout the year. These latest technical advancements allow us to ensure new game content and updates for players everywhere at a higher pace than ever before,” said Six Foot COO Christian Svensson.

To celebrate today’s launch, Six Foot has released a new animated lore trailer featuring many of Dreadnought’s spaceships and ship manufacturers, as well as a new spotlight on the devastating conflict at the heart of the game.

Dreadnought is all about team-based spaceship action in 8v8 matches across exotic locations around our solar system. Command your fleet of over 70 customizable vessels from five specialized classes, unlocking more advanced ships, modules and more as you fight for fame, riches and glory. Battle with friends and players around the world in competitive modes like Team Deathmatch, Onslaught – in which players battle both the enemy team’s ships and neutral AI vessels – and Conquest, where players capture, link and hold territory through strategic maneuvering.

Dreadnought is rated T (Teen) by the ESRB. For the latest updates, follow Dreadnought on Facebook, Twitter and Twitch.

*A post-release update will add Havoc mode and the ability to play custom matches to the Steam version of Dreadnought. Six Foot will have additional information about this update after launch.

LA Haunted Hayride 2018 Review

2018/10/15
Jerry Paxton
Geek News, Halloween, Haunted Attraction Review, News, Reviews

The LA Haunted Hayride is back for 2018, this time celebrating its 10th anniversary. With the event now under the umbrella of the Thirteenth Floor Entertainment Group, how does this year’s hayride compare to its previous incarnations? Well, for that, we need to travel back in time to 2012 – the first time we reviewed the LA Haunted Hayride. At that point it was, without a doubt, the best haunted attraction in Southern California. And it remained so for two years after that. Unfortunately, things started to take a downturn for the event when the New York Haunted Hayride opened up. Their resources seemed split down the middle and the event lost some of its charm. Last year, we were especially concerned at the state of the LA Haunted Hayride.

This year, the LA Haunted Hayride has taken a huge stride in the right direction and managed to recapture much of that Midwestern Halloween carnival vibe that it started out with.

We began the night walking through the entry area of the LA Haunted Hayride, enjoying some new animatronics and decorations as well as the various monsters roaming the grounds. Last year, The Purgatory haunted village felt empty. The loss of the pumpkin carving booth and the photo gallery were palpable and we spent much of the night thinking of better uses for the, no pun intended, “dead” space. This year, the event still has no photo gallery or pumpkin carving booth, but designers have redesigned the flow of the Purgatory area to make better use of what they do have. It feels much less empty than before and even adds a cool zombie brain toss carnival game for guests to try their luck at. The Scary-Go-Round is also back and is a blast to ride. I still wish they’d bring back the dedicated photo gallery, it was a really fun way for guests to spend some time and take the strain off the hayride line. The main stage is also back and has some really fun audience-participation based shows throughout the night. During your visit, you should make sure to sit in on one of the shows.

The titular hayride of the LA Haunted Hayride is back and a terrific experience. No longer do you have to get out midway through the ride and walk through a haunted maze, then re-embark on the hayride to continue. This is pure LA Haunted Hayride goodness – all hayride, all the time. This year sees several of the scenes that captured the screams of riders over the last ten years and, with the exception of not seeing those bird people swinging down on those tall poles, I was very happy with those they selected. The hayride is a blast and worth riding a couple times from each side of the cart to check out what you might have missed. Also, I am not 100% sure, but the wagons feel wider this year and the hay they are using is much softer for some reason. Even on past opening nights, the hay would stick to you and you end up bringing a good deal of it home. This time, that was not the case – have they changed the kind of hay they use or is this simply my imagination? The world may never know, but I like it!

After our ride on the hayride, we walked back to the Purgatory area and sat at one of the benches, eating some snacks. The atmosphere and general vibe of the event felt “good”. It once again had that Midwest Halloween carnival feel that made me fall in love with it to begin with. We sat at those benches for probably a half an hour, just watching and taking in the event. One of the things I have always admired about the LA Haunted Hayride are its monsters. Their costumes, makeup, and attention to character is outstanding. I have tried ad nauseam and none have ever broken character. This year is no different and you will find all manner of creatures roaming the grounds – some in amazing, large costumes with props I have never seen before. Even when Purgatory was a bit empty, the monsters could still be found in-character, roaming the grounds.

The House of Shadows dark maze is back again and is pretty much the same as it has been. It’s fun and allows guests to pass the time wandering through black hallways looking for an exit. It’s a gimmick, but it works and does adds value to your ticket price.

The “Grub Shack” snack cart is actually one of the weaker points of this year’s LA Haunted Hayride. At some point in the event’s history, they switched food vendors and the one they ended up going with made some strange choices. Their caramel apple slices are simply apple slices covered in cold caramel sauce, not actual hot caramel like it originally was back in the beginning. Also, they don’t serve hot chocolate like the previous vendor did. I can’t imagine it would be that difficult to put a Keurig unit in the cart and whip up hot chocolate in thirty seconds time when requested, but I digress. This vendor also makes the choice to put ketchup in a self-serve dispenser at the pick-up window but then pre-slathers their burgers with “burger sauce”. Just make the burgers dry and let guests put their own sauce on them – it would actually save them some trouble AND make them more money (as I would buy one then). Mind you, it’s not all bad at the snack cart: The macaroni and cheese balls as well as the meatballs and pumpkin donut holes are excellent!

The Trick or Treat walk through experience is back and a HUGE improvement over last year. This year, Trick or Treat has monsters handing out candy as guests go door to door trick or treating. Also, the monsters all seem much more at home in their houses as it were, making great use of the scenery and all having a unique personae. This was a great usage of the Trick or Treat experience and I would love to see it return in 2019.

I would still like to see one more attraction or maze added to the LA Haunted Hayride lineup just to round everything out. In the past, they had a semi-escape room style haunted house which added a ton of value to the ticket price of the event and was a lot of fun to navigate through with your friends. True Talk: Currently, the event offers general, VIP, and platinum tier ticket options. A regular all-attraction general admission ticket is $49.99 on the weekend. This allows you through everything once with a regular wait in line. The VIP ticket costs $64.99 on a weekend and allows you in everything once with a “limited wait” time in line. The Platinum level ticket is $109.99 on a weekend and promises to allow you to entirely skip the lines at the attractions as well as premium parking and unlimited access to everything. Parking at the LA Haunted Hayride is already free as the parking lot is a public lot – it’s no-charge, even if you get a spot right up against the entry of the event. I don’t quite know what premium parking they could be offering. In its improved state, I would have no problem paying for a general admission ticket to the event. There is plenty to do at that price point and you would be happy with your purchase. Now, if you absolutely cannot stand waiting in lines, I could see paying for the VIP admission. However, at this stage in the game, I don’t believe the Platinum tier would be worth your money.

Overall, the LA Haunted Hayride has taken a great leap back towards its hey day by fixing many of the issues plaguing it in the last few years. I had a really fun time at this year’s LA Haunted Hayride and can’t wait to see what they do for 2019.

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