Screams cut through the night as fog curls into the familiar streets of Universal Studios. Monsters and ghouls awake as the sun goes down, ready to scare. Chainsaws rev and echo in the dark while thousands of visitors line up for a late night full of terror. 

Every fall starting in September, for a few haunting weeks, Universal Studios Hollywood transforms into Halloween Horror Nights. The theme park becomes a labyrinth of shadows, monsters and movie nightmares brought to life. Halloween Horror Nights has returned every season since 1997, featuring new and old haunted houses inspired by blockbuster films and TV shows, with different themes and original scare zones. Guests wind through fog-drenched pathways, dodge chainsaw-wielding actors and wait hours to step into mazes that blur the line between cinema and reality. This event lures in teenagers, locals, tourists and thrill-seekers with the promise of a night haunted by terror and the challenge of surviving the ultimate southern California scare fest. 

This review looks at highlights of the 2025 event, from the most chilling walkthroughs to fan favorites, to see whether the experience lives up to its reputation as a terrifying yet exciting experience, starting with the Haunted House of the year. Below, you can find our run-down that lists each of the event’s attractions from the least frightening to totally terrifying. 

Based on the video game–which was adapted into a TV series last year–Fallout is set in a post-apocalyptic Los Angeles after a devastating nuclear war. Become immersed in this dystopian society and join the characters as they emerge from their underground vaults into the wasteland.

Compared to the other mazes, the jumpscares in Fallout were more controlled and the actors seemed more removed; it felt more like they were acting out scenes in front of you than actively trying to scare you. The different rooms also felt a little bit confusing and incohesive, but that may just be because we weren’t familiar with the franchise. Still, you may have a totally different experience with these mazes, as each person may interpret the fear factors completely differently depending on what they are focused on.

“I felt like it was the scariest and had the most jumpscares,” sophomore Heleena Barnett said. “I think I crashed into so many people jumping backwards.”

Inspired by the Wyatt Sicks wrestling stable in the World Wrestling Entertainment, Universal Studios brings its characters to life in this terrifying, bloody attraction. In this house, you will wander through dark, space-like hallways, stumble through mirror-walled rooms and have terrifyingly close encounters with the five members of the stable. 

While this maze was still scary, nothing about it was super extraordinary. Its main scare techniques were no different than those of the other mazes, like jump scares and creepy costumes, except the other mazes had additional scare factors that made them more unique. There was nothing that detracted from The Horrors of Wyatt Sicks’ performance, but there also wasn’t anything that made it super memorable.

Poltergeist traces the classic film, starting in the infamous house above a cemetery, following supernatural beings that are specifically noisy and mischievous. Whispers, ghosts and objects move on their own. One exhilarating room at a time, you’ll feel the chilly air shift as restless spirits try to pull you into their world. Be careful, you may be hypnotized by the light, but make sure you don’t get lost in it.

This set started with a cute family house, and begins with a visual of a young child staring into the light of a TV. Once walking in we were pretty much unaware of what was happening. Already a very confusing path to start with. Eventually along the way, bird-like figures appear from shadows, observing from corners, while flashes of distorted raw meat makes everything unsettling. It was one of the harder houses to follow, as the plot lines were more confusing than scary.

When you enter the Jason Universe maze, the first set is at the fictional Camp Crystal Lake, where there is one goal: escape the evil Jason Voorhees of the “Friday the 13th” universe. You wander through the campgrounds, glimpsing your awaited fate through the lifeless bodies of campers scattered throughout. This maze definitely perfected their use of jump scares, with actors springing out at you terrifyingly close when you least expect it. 

“I thought [Jason Universe] was the scariest because of the lighting and all the decorations,” sophomore Malcom Caughey said. “[The actors] really planned out when they would jump, and I didn’t see it coming, like I saw it coming in the other mazes.”

At the entrance La Muerte, meaning death, the house’s skeletal guide welcomes you in with his sidekick, a black cat named Oscura, which translates to dark, to meet the three terrifying spirits of Latin America. Three legends: La Llorona, La Muelona and La Siguanaba. One bawls, one bites and one captivates. Who will you meet as you step into a dark world with horrifying creatures born from myth and nightmare? Every corner you turn feels alive, and they are all after you. 

Flashing lights, skulls of the deceased, and La Muelona jumps out as soon as you walk in. La Siguanaba appears within deep dark corners, entrancing anyone with her looks. As you get deeper into the house, you meet the weeping woman La Llorona, who drowned her own children in a river after her husband betrayed her. As she continues to weep after her losses, and drag anyone who crosses her to their death, you again are acquainted with a hungry La Muelona. As she is eating any disobeying children. 

What makes it so scary is not  the jump scares, but how huge and realistic the creatures look. The sound, set up and smog makes it impossible to tell where the creatures are coming from. Not forgetting to add how absorbed the actors were in this house. They were truly committed to their roles, some even having to scream for hours, yet each sounded blood curdling. Every room had a different set up: a new scare, design, and a new way to keep the guests’ adrenaline up. It was cinematic, easily one of the most memorable houses but not number one. 

Set in a farm during the Great Depression era, this maze surprised us by being the most frightening one at Halloween Horror Nights. Beware the scarecrows: they are seeking vengeance for their ransacked land and are determined to make its destroyers pay the price. As you walk through the broken-down farm house, murderous scarecrows jump out at you, sickles and axes in hand, ready for revenge.

As you’re walking in, you approach a farm house with a relaxed vibe. What can be so scary about scarecrows? Each scarecrow looks completely different with twisted faces, rotting clothes, and hauntingly real movements making it laughable at the thought of even trying to recognize which ones are human size props and which are actors. But no actor in this maze is unmasked, that’s what makes it so unpredictable. Once we reach the butcher section expect anything that might be in a butcher shop, but walking in intestines and other organs hang from the ceiling with a rancid smell as if they were rotting. Every time you think it’s safe to breathe, another scarecrow comes to life. With heavy rock and a mix of silence, there’s no telling what might happen next. 

For us, the scare zones were the best part of Halloween Horror Nights and were certainly more terrifying than the mazes. They were much more interactive and allowed the actors to be more creative than remain limited to their rigid and repetitive motions in the scare mazes. 

“I had mixed feelings about the scare mazes but overall I recommend them,” sophomore Saoirse Boehm said. “They were really scary but super fun in the end.”

Here are the four scare zones offered at Halloween Horror Nights, ranked from least to most frightening.

Considered both a maze and scarezone, Blumhouse villains from the past 15 years take over facing M3GAN, the babyface killer from “Happy Death Day,” the Grabber from “The Black Phone” and more. Guests begin the experience by boarding the tram, which is then followed by the tram takeover, the walkthrough and re-boarding the tram. There’s no place to escape, and if you see them, it is already too late.

Under a glowing moon, all the way from Latin American tales, brujas rise to haunt. Thick smoke, candles, traditions and eerie melodies as glowing eyed figures glide past. 

This zone may not be the scariest but it definitely was unexpected and beautiful. The lighting of the candles with the fog made the whole area feel magical and unpredictable. It followed Latin American lore, including myths, props and visuals. The costumes were so real yet normal, and due to the fog, when far away we were not sure whether the being approaching was another visitor or a witch. 

“I really liked the scare zones, especially Noche de Brujas,” Caughey said. “Walking through them was really fun.”

Gallery • 2 Photos

Art the Clown greets guests into the chaotic “Chainsaw Clownz” scare zone (Photo by Livana Anderson/The Talon)

Upon entering, chainsaws rev and evil cackles laugh to the rhythm of circus music. Clowns themselves are terrifying, but imagine entire groups, with chainsaws that follow you. This new species of clowns chase guests, covered in neon paint and fake blood. They feed off of fear, and no one walks away without screaming. 

It’s a chaotic environment as guests are walking into the park, exploring shops, attempting to order food and walking to their next destinations with a huge distraction taking part. The clowns have few restrictions, like no physical touching, but as long as the clowns follow that rule they are pretty much free to torment to their liking. Many go as far as following frightened guests into stores or waiting outside of restaurants, restrooms and other hiding spots for their target, creating an even ratio of laughter to screaming.

“[Halloween Horror Nights] was really fun until the clowns,” Barnett said. “Then my life flashed before my eyes.” 

Along with the scare mazes and zones, Universal Studios also offers sinister spectaculars for guests to watch. In one of them, the world of “The Purge” twists a well known water show into The Purge: Dangerous Waters, a mix of fire, water, stunts and madness. Sirens blare, announcing masked killers that enter the arena lighting up the night with explosions. Every second becomes more and more dangerous, just like if you were trapped inside a live Purge night where survival becomes the only rule. It’s loud, intense and honestly a super creative addition to Horror Nights.

In addition to the spooky alterations to the park, Universal Studios retains some of its classic rides during Halloween Horror Nights. The open rides include Jurassic World, Transformers, Revenge of the Mummy, Simpsons and the two Harry Potter rides. Parkgoers can enjoy shorter wait times as low as five minutes for these rides with the bulk of the parkgoers crowding up the scare mazes. 

This year’s Halloween Horror Nights was definitely not a disappointment. Some houses were definitely scarier than others, but all of them were insanely detailed. A few mazes stood out more than the rest, but still, the scarezones were a favorite. It was intense, and left us ready to come back next year!