I didn’t know what to expect when I signed up to join Sunway’s Nights of Fright 10 (NOF10), but I couldn’t deny that on the day of our visit, the evening air was eerie, sending chills down my spine as we waited for the gates to open.
Growing up, I’ve always been a horror junkie. Family movie nights typically consisted of films that instilled in me a fear of the unknown. It was this exact fear that made me avoid haunted houses, just in case there were actually evil spirits lurking about.
But maybe NOF10 was the perfect setting for me to finally confront that fear.
So, with three of my colleagues (Claudia, Shathana, and Fadhilah), we waltzed into the ghost’s den for the media preview of NOF 10.
Watch your back
While speaking to the Assistant General Manager of Marketing and Park Experiences at Sunway Theme Parks, Michelle Soong, she told us that a must-visit attraction is the Scarytales Haunted Theatre premiering “The Island of the Dolls”.
It’s an immersive theatre experience where visitors are seated in a mini cinema hall with rows of benches. Throughout the short film (roughly 15 minutes), some of the characters would walk out from secret wall panels to scare you.
All the while, you’re forced to stay in your seats while they occasionally roam around the theatre hall, waiting to spook their next victim.
We won’t spoil the plot of the film, but a quick online search of “doll island” will give you a hint. Knowing that the theatre’s production crew committed themselves to filming in Mexico (where the story is based) added a nice touch too.
I’ll admit that I might have squeaked a few times. Those who get frightened easily are advised to not sit near the walkways.
Our rating: 6 out 10. It was enjoyable but not very scary.
Now onto (what we believe are) the main highlights of NOF10—the haunted houses. Don’t worry, there aren’t any spoilers ahead.
Eight haunted houses for the screamish
In total, there are eight haunted houses to visit:
- Horrorwood Studios
- The Freezer
- Van Helsing
- Bone Man
- Silent Hill
- Whitechapel 2888
- Summer Camp Nightmares
- Alice
Each has its own theme and they’re spread out at different points across the Sunway Lagoon venue. There’s a map of the park close to the Van Helsing haunted house (turn left after the main entrance) that can help you navigate the area.
Our waiting time for each haunted house visit ranged between 15 to 25 minutes. So if you’re planning your trip to NOF10, we recommend wearing your most comfortable pair of shoes to avoid blisters and pain.
Oh, and don’t forget to pack lightly if you’re not planning on renting the theme park’s lockers. A small crossbody bag would be best to store your belongings and keep your hands free in case you suddenly feel the need to… run.
Horrorwood Studios
Horrorwood Studios brings iconic horror villains like Freddy Kreuger from A Nightmare on Elm Street to life.
Entering the hallways felt almost like a tour through a classic horror movie wax museum—except, not all the exhibits were fake. Just when you think you’ve escaped from the likes of Freddy Krueger and Pennywise, the hallways lead you to a maze-like setup.
The keyword here being maze because there are actual dead ends you can end up on, making this one of the most engaging attractions.
Zombie-like creatures were lurking in every corner and had us on edge the whole time and jumping at every turn. A Ghostface ghoul really got us good with a perfectly timed jump scare.
Our rating: 8 out of 10. The interactive maze element was fun, and the nostalgic horror movie theme kept us hooked.
Van Helsing
Next, we went into Van Helsing, which is a NOF10 rebranded version of the famous Scream Park.
The attraction kicked off with three rooms where a screen narrated Van Helsing’s story. Unfortunately, the loud music drowned out most of the narration, so we couldn’t catch much of it. Still, the actors playing Van Helsing’s assistants did a fantastic job with their roles.
However, be warned: this attraction features heavy strobing lights, so if you’re sensitive to those, it’s best to skip this one.
Despite the eerie atmosphere, we felt like there weren’t enough jump scares, and the long, mostly bare walk to the end dulled the fear factor a bit.
Our rating: 6 out of 10. While the acting was solid, it didn’t deliver the level of scares we were expecting.
Bone Man
As its name suggests, Bone Man is a skeleton-filled attraction that was equal parts creepy and immersive.
The house opens with a strange collection of artefacts, supposedly human flesh and brains preserved in mini jars. Before you can linger on that unsettling sight, you’re thrust outside into a dark, smoky walkway.
At times, we weren’t sure if we were going the right way, which added to the unsettling feeling of being lost in the dark. The eerie environment felt never-ending as if the skeletons, smoke, and darkness were going to close in on us at any moment.
Although there weren’t as many traditional jump scares, the experience was more about the lingering atmosphere—the kind that creeps up on you. The fog, the dark passageways, and the constant sense of not knowing where to go made it feel like we were wandering through a forgotten underworld.
Our rating: 6 out of 10. The immersive setting was great, but it could’ve used more scares.
Whitechapel 2888
Despite the eerie doll-like setup, Whitechapel 2888 felt more whimsical than scary.
There were plenty of long corridors to walk through, but aside from the dim lighting and eerie props, it lacked the tension or surprises that make for a truly frightful experience. Occasionally there will be “possessed ghosts” making appearances.
That said, we can’t deny that this attraction had great aesthetics. There was a haunting beauty to the setup, especially with the detailed doll displays and the dramatic use of lighting. But for those expecting more interactive thrills or jump scares, it might fall short.
One unusual, entertaining moment was the live performance of a creepy doll perched on a balcony, singing from above as we passed through. It was strange and unexpected, giving Whitechapel a theatrical twist, but it didn’t quite make up for the overall lack of frights.
Our rating: 6 out of 10. The setup was visually impressive, but the scare factor was low.
Silent Hill
A popular IP that Sunway bagged for NOF10 this year, Silent Hill is the attraction that many are surely excited for. It’s one of the longer haunted houses and takes about 15 minutes to reach the end.
The Silent Hill attraction doesn’t have a guide, so you’ll be holding onto a rubber tube “rope” with the rest of your group. It helps make sure that nobody gets lost halfway through as it’s a rather large attraction.
However, it was a bit uncomfortable for the person holding the “rope”. Shathana’s arm was constantly pulled back by the rest of the group as she led them through the maze. In her own words, “It kinda dampened my experience a little because I had to wait for everyone to catch up with me.”
You’ll be walking through both indoor and outdoor sets depicting the deserted town of Silent Hill. Ghostly characters from the game will pop up to scare you, including The Nurses and the iconic Pyramid Head.
Our rating: 8 out of 10. The set was spooky and the characters will certainly give you a fright.
Summer Camp Nightmares
Think of all those Hollywood movies about a killer on the loose at a summer camp and you’ll get the gist of NOF10’s Summer Camp Nightmares. It reminds me of the slasher film series, Friday the 13th.
Similar to Silent Hill, this is also an unguided tour, set in a “camp far from the city”. The first step onto the set and you’ll already be greeted by wailing victims of the killer. Girl and boy campers were either “strung up” by their bunkers or had their bodies slashed.
The more you progress into the haunted house, the more blood you’ll come across. If gory horror isn’t your cup of tea then we recommend giving this a pass.
Those sensitive to strobing lights should also turn back as it’s a heavy feature during one part of the haunted house.
Our rating: 9 out of 10. The set was well done and the details were good, though we wish the music wasn’t as loud.
Alice
Have you ever wondered if Alice in Wonderland was really about a girl who took one too many pain meds and started hallucinating?
Well, this Alice attraction at NOF10 brings visitors on a trippy adventure down wonderland. Emphasis on “trippy” as you’ll be given 3D glasses that interact interestingly with the surroundings.
Just check out the photos we took, it captures our vision pretty well.
One of the shorter attractions (about 10 minutes), this is a beginner-friendly spot if you’re new to haunted houses. There aren’t as many jump scares but it’s still entertaining nonetheless.
Our rating: 6 out of 10. Although not as immersive as the other haunted houses, it’s a cool attraction that plays on your senses.
For the love of a bloody good time
This being the 10th edition of Sunway’s Nights of Fright, my team and I had rather high expectations. Sunway has been in this industry for over 10 years now and they’ve learnt a thing or two about scaring people.
Otherwise, this wouldn’t be a profitable offering that thousands of Malaysians look forward to each year.
NOF10 definitely delivered on giving us a spooky fun night, though some of us (like me) got more scared than others. Call me a wuss, but I even got nightmares later on based on two characters I saw at NOF.
If there’s one piece of feedback we’d like to share with the organisers, it’d be that NOF might benefit from using silence to their advantage in certain haunted houses or areas.
After all, isn’t it scarier to not know when someone (or something) might strike you in the dark, with your mind going in overdrive with “what if’s”?
Besides the haunted houses, there’s an array of other activities and Scare Zones to check out too: Slasher Street, Day of the Dead, Karak Highway, and Pontianaks, Pocongs, and Pumpkins!
Sunway Lagoon’s night rides are also open, including the Tomahawk, Grand Canyon River Rapids, and Lost City of Gold Scream Coaster.
Every half an hour, there will be various performances throughout the night at different locations. Some are at the main stage while others are scattered across the venue, so be sure to keep a lookout. If you get squeamish and want a break, there are a few F&B spots to rehydrate and fill your tummies too.
All in all, the experience wouldn’t have been as exciting or enjoyable without the stellar performance by the cast and crew this year. We have to commend all the actors that added an edgy and spooky vibe to the event.
Whichever attraction you choose, we hope you have as much of a spook-tastic time as we did. Sunway’s NOF10 will be available for six weekends only, plus one final day on Halloween itself.
Tickets are sold on Sunway Lagoon’s website as well as on Klook. Admission tickets (inclusive of popcorn and a devil’s horn accessory) start at RM128. There’s also a package with the Xpress Pass for RM226.
- Learn more about Nights of Fright here.
- Read other articles we’ve written about Malaysian startups here.
Featured Image Credit: Vulcan Post
