Halloween Horror Nights for 2022 started on Sept. 8 and will continue on select nights until Halloween (Oct. 31). HHN opens at Universal at 6 p.m. and closes at 2 a.m.; the darkness adds to the spooky feel of the event. Anyone who goes will have an amazing time.  This year HHN has ten breathtaking houses: here are the top six.

To start a house based on the popular artist, The Weeknd’s After Hours videos. It features strobe lights and scenes that mess with your mind. This house, The Weeknd: After Hours Nightmare, is one of the easier and tamer ones to go through–it is a good beginner house– with less gore and more psychological spooks.

One of the most anticipated houses was Descendants of Destruction– a house about starving mutants in the dark of a New York subway. The house will shock people with its sparks and elaborate scenes. Do not skip this one.

Halloween was a house that was assumed to be insignificant, with most of the others being Universal originals. Fortunately, it exceeded expectations. The house was very gory (as most of the houses were) which added to the terrifying feel of the house. The last scene of the house was startling and will leave you fazed—in a good way.

The most terrifying house was The Horrors of Blumhouse. This house was a two in one—Freaky and The Black Phone. The Freaky section of the house was okay, but when it came to The Black Phone you might let out a few screams. Mainly due to the many  jumpscares. 

The Bugs Eaten Alive house was the one that made the others in my group squirm the most. If you  do not like bugs, you should probably skip this one. Although there are no real bugs, there are visuals of them, and the scare actors in this house wear nauseating makeup and prosthetics that will make your skin crawl. In addition to the scare actors, there are a couple water effects and other creepy features. This one was really well done.

Now, the last one is called Dead Man’s Pier: Winters Wake. The setting is a fishing village where soulless fishermen come out of the sea to fulfill their revenge. There are a variety of scenes, but every single one will make you feel terrified.

The other four houses are still amazing and should not be disregarded—Hellblock Horror, Fiesta De Chupacabras, Spirits of The Coven, and Universal Monsters: Legends Collide. 

The haunted houses are not all HHN has. There are also scare zones, which are sections of paths where scare actors and props are set up. HHN has five scare zones this year and all of them should be checked out. Universal also has shows, one of them being Halloween Nightmare Fuel Wildfire. Although it has crazy magic tricks, fire, dancing and some sexual themes (skimpy outfits, inappropriate movements). Another highlight of HHN is the selection of rides, because it is in Universal, the rides are open and available. Also if you want a good meal there, you will get it. 

All in all, Halloween Horror Nights is something everyone should experience at least one in their lifetimes. It happens annually around Halloween and is amazing every year. Although the houses are different every year, the quality and themes of the houses just get better.