Canyon of the Cursed – Halloween Horror Nights 4

By Dejiki on October 20, 2014 in Attractions, Halloween Horror Nights, Theme Parks

Canyon of the Cursed, a scare zone at Universal Studios Singapore’s Halloween Horror Nights 4, transports adventurers into the Wild West. Caught in the crossfire between two factions, they will discover that the quest for forbidden treasure is never worth the price.

WARNING

SPOILERS: This entry depicts scenes and characters inside the scare zone.

GRAPHIC AND DISTURBING IMAGERY: Viewer discretion is advised.

Doused in shadow and fog, Ancient Egypt is now entirely different.

It is now a place where treasure seekers turn into the undead.

Doomed to roam the lands, the cursed ones linger in limbo.

Big Bad Joe, the Sheriff, paved the way to the gold.. and the grim fate that followed.

The curse seemed to have a lesser effect on him… and The Woman.

Halloween Horror Nights 4 - Canyon of the Cursed scare zone - The Woman dramatic

Without a way to break the curse, Big Bad Joe taunts adventurers who have yet to be afflicted.

Spirit warriors are summoned from the other side of the Canyon.

These fearsome guardians are bound by the same curse, but one to protect the sacred land from robbers.

Halloween Horror Nights 4 - Canyon of the Cursed scare zone - Warrior in the Wind 2

Halloween Horror Nights 4 - Canyon of the Cursed scare zone - Spirit Warrior's teepee

They are cautious, but yet merciless to those who seek the gold they guard.

When both factions collide, a heated conflict takes place.

The guardians would chase the treasure hunters out of their domain, and torment those who refuse to leave.

◂ Video: CANYON OF THE CURSED ▸

Watch the show: The cowboys engage in a shootout against the Spirit Warriors.

The treasure remains undisturbed, while the curse lives on, for eternity.

About this scare zone

Canyon of the Cursed reminded me of last year’s amazing Attack of the Vampires scare zone. There are many similarities, such as the two factions of characters that interact with each other, elaborate costumes and make-up, key characters as stilt-walkers, and the use of the flashmob-like event to switch cast groups.

It is very curious that this Wild West scare zone is completely devoid of guns. You will hear gunfire and everything, but where are the guns. It could be some safety regulation thing that the park has to adhere to. The Spirit Warriors also walk around with unloaded bows most of the time, even during the shootout. Look carefully at the cowboy’s outfits and you can see fresh bullet wounds glistening in the light.

The past two years were more like festivals: Bizarre Bazaar (2012) and Convention of Curses (2013) had there were booths to visit, short shows to watch, and the characters are generally friendly. Not at the Canyon this year – it’s a true scare zone now. However, the transition also removed the anchoring “attraction” here – there is no stage, and the shootout is basically a dramatic gathering of all scare actors in front of Revenge of The Mummy.

While Canyon of the Cursed is a good attempt to port the successful Attack of the Vampires, there are still some shortcomings. There are no shows this year and the sets do not call for a second look. That could make some guests feel that the scare zone is lacking, especially those without patience to see scare actors interact. The same tricks that were excellent at New York are difficult to mimic in Egypt. We all know that designing a scare zone here is always challenging due to its layout and architecture. Perhaps in the next year the park could find ways to incorporate the parts of Ancient Egypt facing Lake Hollywood – a one-way experience like Bogeyman.

What’s your verdict for CANYON OF THE CURSED? Let us know if you’ve spotted anything interesting here!

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Are you brave enough..?

It’s time to make the decision to attend Halloween Horror Nights 4. Get all the event and ticketing information you need at the 2014 Guide to Halloween Attractions in Singapore here!