HKS

Hatch and Kraven's Slaughterhouse is the best new haunt I've ever reviewed. In it's first year it ranks with Cutting Edge for both intensity and fright. The haunt is located in a real slaughterhouse and the props you see aren't fake, they are the real thing. Those meat hooks and saws weren't bought at an online haunted house catalog. The actors are as good as any (maybe better) I've seen in many years of attending haunted houses as a customer and reviewer. As a bonus for families, a children's area is provided and features child friendly actors and story telling. This allows parents to enjoy the haunt without worrying about how scared their kids are, an excellent idea that more haunted attractions should provide.

Hatch and Kraven's is located in Sherman, not far from US 75 and 82. This is a unique haunted house and it is without a doubt worth the drive even if you live in Dallas or Ft Worth. I am rarely scared in haunts but Hatch and Kraven's got to me. The feel of being in a slaughterhouse does more for this haunt than any amount of money could buy at another location. Cattle pens, real slaughter equipment, and realistic scenes of butchered humans help make this place as graphic and real as you'll find in the haunt industry.

As great as the house itself is, the actors are better. There are a large number of actors in the house to begin with, and the clever design of the haunt allows any actor to chase you from one end of the house to the other. H&Ks creatures have the energy of someone with five Red Bulls in their system, they just keep coming at you. The lighting ranges from dim to almost completely dark and there are constant twists and turns in the dark passageways. The actors take full advantage of the lighting and cover and come at from all directions at times. It seems like there is always an actor around the next corner and I had actors grasping at my ankles from under walls, crawling on the ground, and reaching down from the roof. People get individual attention in H&Ks and your party (even if you have a large party) will at times be outnumbered by actors. Finding the exit doesn't mean you're safe since you will be pursued, even outside.

Attention to detail is visible not only in the design of the house, but also in the costumes and masks, many of which are hand made. The effort put into designing and making the costumes pays off with added realism, especially when you see them coming at you from all directions inside.

Many haunted houses are creepy and will make you uneasy, but few are truly frightening. Hatch and Kraven's joins the ranks of the most frightening attractions in Texas, a remarkable accomplishment for a debut season. With price of only $15 (with a printable $2 off coupon available on their site or our home page) this is a remarkable value for a one of a kind experience.