Zombie Encounters
Ever wondered whether you have what it takes to protect the world against the threat of a zombie apocalypse? C'mon, we all have right? Here's your chance to put those bold claims to the test...
Put together by the team at Dark Encounters, Zombie Encounters centres around the Undead Research Facility's (URF) search for new recruits, in a 60-minute boot camp-style series of challenges designed to test your speed and agility, resolve under pressure and survival skills in the face of some of the facility's most active 'test subjects'.
From the moment we parked up, we were greeted with a stern military presence, which set the scene nicely. The event is set in a wonderful venue - Fort Widely, and it genuinely felt like we were entering a real secure facility. It's not often we experience a safety briefing as entertaining as this but they did a great job of fully integrating this into the show and was actually one of the highlights for us. Whilst warning us of the pitfalls of playing with what they lovingly referred to as 'dead things', there were some nice intentional comedy moments to cut through the otherwise very brisk and imposing military atmosphere. This included some impressively quick-witted returns on a couple of light heckles from a group of teens, that had the whole room laughing.
Onto the challenges and the inevitable proving ground to decide our fate. Following our briefing, we were split into three teams and introduced to our team leaders for the evening, namely Ash, Chief and Leon (maybe a little nod to any Resident Evil fans among the participants), before being led underground into the network of tunnels underneath the fort. This tunnel system, a three-spoked layout linking various chambers, was very dark, a little damp and very well populated with re-animated folk. The sound travel in the tunnels was brilliantly unnerving and disorientating at times too.
Something that stood out for us was the unpredictability of the zombies; whether intentional or not, no two zombies moved, looked or sounded the same. It came across as though they'd each been given license to be the zombie they wanted to be, organic almost, rather than merely graduates of a
zombie 101 course. The lead actors were really engaging too, providing a great platform with which to bring the storyline and challenge objectives to life.
Having to work as team for some challenges and facing other sections alone, there was a good balance to the experience and created an environment that naturally encouraged a really good rapport and camaraderie amongst our team. Meanwhile, our team leader was assessing and scoring our individual performances during each challenge, an assessment that culminated in the strongest and weakest members of each team being appropriately and very publicly recognised for their exploits!
We would point out that the challenges probably took the edge off what might have otherwise been a more intense experience than a free-roaming or scare maze format might have delivered. For anyone looking for something on the more extreme end of the scare-spectrum, you may be a little disappointed
Having said that, the strength of this event that shone through for us was one of fun. Each member of our group ended the evening with a smile on their face; and that's why most of us do this, right? The attention to detail deserves a mention here too, one example being the chaotic and often seemingly nonsensical etchings on the walls, ceilings and even on the faces of some of the zombies themselves - key to solving one of the challenges.
Of course, no zombie experience is complete without a breakout finale and Zombie Encounters was to be no exception as we were chased back to our cars by the unruly hordes!
Zombie Encounters is both professionally run and great fun with something for everyone. It boasts great entry-level accessibility for those new to scare attractions but can also offer something a little more for those who volunteer themselves for the face-it-alone style elements of the experience.
It also represents an area of the UK otherwise geographically a little sparse on scare attractions presently.
We'd also like to point out that we had taken along two rather apprehensive scare attraction newbies to this event. However, whilst in the pub afterwards, all they wanted to talk about was the event, already keen to plan their next attraction visit - a true testament to the great show Dark
Encounters had put on.
Whilst we visited their Fort Widley location, Zombie Encounters runs fortnightly throughout the year across three Hampshire venues, the other two being Bursledon Brickworks and a mystery wooded location near Portsmouth known to the URF as 'Corpse Wood'. We're led to believe that whilst the scenario is similar at each venue, the challenges do differ.
I would just like to add that one of our party has since developed flu-like symptoms. Coincidence? Personally, I'm keeping a very close eye on them..!
Put together by the team at Dark Encounters, Zombie Encounters centres around the Undead Research Facility's (URF) search for new recruits, in a 60-minute boot camp-style series of challenges designed to test your speed and agility, resolve under pressure and survival skills in the face of some of the facility's most active 'test subjects'.
From the moment we parked up, we were greeted with a stern military presence, which set the scene nicely. The event is set in a wonderful venue - Fort Widely, and it genuinely felt like we were entering a real secure facility. It's not often we experience a safety briefing as entertaining as this but they did a great job of fully integrating this into the show and was actually one of the highlights for us. Whilst warning us of the pitfalls of playing with what they lovingly referred to as 'dead things', there were some nice intentional comedy moments to cut through the otherwise very brisk and imposing military atmosphere. This included some impressively quick-witted returns on a couple of light heckles from a group of teens, that had the whole room laughing.
Onto the challenges and the inevitable proving ground to decide our fate. Following our briefing, we were split into three teams and introduced to our team leaders for the evening, namely Ash, Chief and Leon (maybe a little nod to any Resident Evil fans among the participants), before being led underground into the network of tunnels underneath the fort. This tunnel system, a three-spoked layout linking various chambers, was very dark, a little damp and very well populated with re-animated folk. The sound travel in the tunnels was brilliantly unnerving and disorientating at times too.
Something that stood out for us was the unpredictability of the zombies; whether intentional or not, no two zombies moved, looked or sounded the same. It came across as though they'd each been given license to be the zombie they wanted to be, organic almost, rather than merely graduates of a
zombie 101 course. The lead actors were really engaging too, providing a great platform with which to bring the storyline and challenge objectives to life.
Having to work as team for some challenges and facing other sections alone, there was a good balance to the experience and created an environment that naturally encouraged a really good rapport and camaraderie amongst our team. Meanwhile, our team leader was assessing and scoring our individual performances during each challenge, an assessment that culminated in the strongest and weakest members of each team being appropriately and very publicly recognised for their exploits!
We would point out that the challenges probably took the edge off what might have otherwise been a more intense experience than a free-roaming or scare maze format might have delivered. For anyone looking for something on the more extreme end of the scare-spectrum, you may be a little disappointed
Having said that, the strength of this event that shone through for us was one of fun. Each member of our group ended the evening with a smile on their face; and that's why most of us do this, right? The attention to detail deserves a mention here too, one example being the chaotic and often seemingly nonsensical etchings on the walls, ceilings and even on the faces of some of the zombies themselves - key to solving one of the challenges.
Of course, no zombie experience is complete without a breakout finale and Zombie Encounters was to be no exception as we were chased back to our cars by the unruly hordes!
Zombie Encounters is both professionally run and great fun with something for everyone. It boasts great entry-level accessibility for those new to scare attractions but can also offer something a little more for those who volunteer themselves for the face-it-alone style elements of the experience.
It also represents an area of the UK otherwise geographically a little sparse on scare attractions presently.
We'd also like to point out that we had taken along two rather apprehensive scare attraction newbies to this event. However, whilst in the pub afterwards, all they wanted to talk about was the event, already keen to plan their next attraction visit - a true testament to the great show Dark
Encounters had put on.
Whilst we visited their Fort Widley location, Zombie Encounters runs fortnightly throughout the year across three Hampshire venues, the other two being Bursledon Brickworks and a mystery wooded location near Portsmouth known to the URF as 'Corpse Wood'. We're led to believe that whilst the scenario is similar at each venue, the challenges do differ.
I would just like to add that one of our party has since developed flu-like symptoms. Coincidence? Personally, I'm keeping a very close eye on them..!
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Scary - My friend and I are massive fans of the walking dead series. We always wonder how we might do in certain situations that zombies would place you in.
This tour was no disappointment, we enjoyed the whole time from start to finish.
We.would definitely recommend this a try a different location in the near future.
This tour was no disappointment, we enjoyed the whole time from start to finish.
We.would definitely recommend this a try a different location in the near future.
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