Starting our journey in the Republic of England area, this immersive zone is based on two warring factions: the New World Order and the Resistance, as they battle for control of the land.

This area is the setting for the New World Order Trilogy—three mazes that each explore their own standalone stories but all take place within the same dystopian universe, successfully tying them all together. We absolutely loved how the attractions, roaming characters, and the zone itself all interlink to create one overarching story on this scale, which we rarely see executed at this high quality.

While the area flows better than it ever has, we still felt it was the weakest point of the park, though we acknowledge the inherent difficulty of executing an immersive zone of this type. The area contains plenty of special effects, the most impressive of which are the powerful lasers that form a dynamic show running throughout the night.

Next up was X4, a maze we were especially excited about since its cast won our award for favorite actors in 2024.

That said, this year, the experience felt noticeably lighter on actors, and their energy and scares didn’t quite reach the level we’d previously seen. The storytelling, however, was fantastic, with the introduction scene brilliantly setting the stage for what you’re doing there.

They feature some incredible SFX, with our favorite being the lift, which felt even more feral and intense this year than it ever has before. While we still had fun in X4, last year’s iteration definitely felt much stronger overall.

Brand new for 2025, Lock ‘N’ Load enters the mix, placing you in the Republic of England area to join the crew in fighting back and containing the zone from any more mutants spilling out of X4.

With a simple setup, they have managed to craft a compelling 15-minute experience. After watching a safety briefing, you take a stand with an Airsoft gun and shoot to survive. The wreckage area is filled with cool special effects, from stunts performed by the team to blasts of smoke, CO2, and fire.

Sadly, due to the distance between the participants and the “mutants,” it isn’t a traditionally scary experience. However, the audio and lighting effects were incredibly impressive, creating an intense, show-like setting as you searched, shot, and survived the mission.

Seeds of Evil is the brand-new maze for 2025. While we were lucky enough to have a behind-the-scenes look before its official public opening, we’ve already noticed many positive changes.

Designed to be more of a spooky “nod to Halloween” than a traditionally terrifying experience, it certainly succeeds by using more comedy elements than reliance on big jump scares. While the overall scream count might not be the highest, it’s a very enjoyable maze packed with hidden Easter eggs and features fun Bristolian characters and slang throughout.

The concept itself is uniquely designed: a local village overrun by the Pumpkin King due to a monstrous fertiliser is super fun. We particularly loved the Blood Moon that lights up the outdoor portion of the attraction. Even though it’s built indoors, the clever construction allows for both indoor and outdoor elements, adding to the immersion.

We fully trust this maze will only grow from strength to strength.

This year sees the return of The Exorcism, a bolt-on experience originally slated to leave the event after last season. This might truly be its final run, and we are thrilled to see it back.

We love this show, which takes place in a haunting attic where you follow Evelyn’s story and attempt to set her free from the devil who possesses her. The story is incredibly intense, placing you extremely close to the action from the very moment you step inside. The dramatic and dark nature, coupled with its clever effects, makes it a yearly standout.

Unfortunately, we don’t enjoy it quite as much as its initial seasons due to the show remaining largely unchanged throughout its run; we now know what to expect. That being said, the actors inside provide such a great performance each and every time. The team truly delivers a fantastic and standout show every single year.