Brand new for 2023 we bring you The Witches of Hard Luck Wood review. A brand new scare maze at Xtreme Scream park replacing the rather popular HooDoo VooDoo hooded maze.
I’m always excited when a theme park as good as Xtreme Scream gets a new maze, you just know that the theming will be of a high standard and the experience will always deliver.
The Witches of Hard Luck Wood is making its Xtreme Scream 2023 debut and whilst there was little winks and nods to its predecessor this maze certainly stands on its own two feet with a welcome addition to the scare maze line up at the Melton Mowbray located scream park.
Here is a little backstory about the maze as posted on the official website before we dive into this Witches of Hard Luck Wood review :
In the dark and ancient woods of Leicestershire lies a chilling tale that has haunted the land for centuries. It all began five hundred years ago, during a time when whispers of witchcraft filled the air. In 1542, Parliament enacted the Witchcraft Act, inflicting the penalty of death upon those found guilty of practicing this dark art.
It was in this backdrop of fear and superstition that a young boy named John Smyth found himself at the centre of a malevolent storm. Plagued by fits and seizures, he accused several women from Leicestershire of being witches. But these accusations went beyond mere spells and potions. It was said that these women possessed animal-like spirits that tormented poor John.
Trapped in a web of hysteria, these accused women were sent to the gallows, their lives snuffed out by the cruel hand of justice. But as the nooses tightened around their necks, the witches made a vow. They promised to return five hundred years later, to unleash their vengeance upon the children of the descendants of those who failed to protect them.
Throughout the passing centuries, the legends of Hard Luck Wood grew darker. Stories whispered of more locals tortured, burned at the stake, drowned, or even buried alive for witch crimes they did not commit. It was said that their tortured spirits now roamed the very woods where their lives were so unjustly taken.
In the present day, the terrified families and residents of Leicestershire banded together, determined to find their lost children and put an end to this haunting nightmare. Every brave soul who entered the eerie and foreboding Hard Luck Wood, however, never returned. Those who did escape were left possessed, forever marked by the terrifying sight of the vengeful witches.
Faced with this malevolence, the Right Reverend Richard Cole took upon himself the sacred duty of protecting the community from these vengeful entities. Armed with ancient rituals and prayers, he believed that the witches could only turn one’s soul through sight. He insisted that all who dared to enter Hard Luck Wood must cover their eyes, for it was said that the witches’ power was weakened when their prey refused to gaze upon their wicked forms. The reverend chanted Latin phrases such as “Non videbo” – “I shall not look” – guiding those who sought to preserve their souls.
As Halloween approached, the Hard Luck Wood Witch Hunt ominously beckoned. Will you dare to join in this terrifying quest for truth and revenge? Will you have the courage to venture into the haunted heart of the woods, where the lost souls and vengeful spirits of the witches eagerly await? Or will you succumb to the horrors that lie within, forever bound to the clutches of darkness? The choice is yours, but remember, once you step foot into Hard Luck Wood, there is no turning back.
Much like HooDoo VooDoo the maze does include a hooded section but this time around instead of jumping straight in with the hoods you’re guided through a mysterious forest before eventually having the hood placed over your head.
You hold onto a rope and are guided through the usual HooDoo VooDoo trail of bouncy floors, uneven terrain and creatures grabbing at your legs as you can faintly see outlines through your fabric hood.
Once the hood is eventually removed your scare maze experience begins and whilst heavily themed there just wasn’t enough actors in there for me to really give that desired effect.
The witches must have been off on their broomsticks somewhere as we encountered less than 10 actors throughout our run-through with the hooded section of the maze certainly feeling as though it had more bodies within it to deliver those whispers / grab scares.
Whilst the theming was spot on there just wasn’t enough jump scares for me and as is the case with some mazes at Xtreme Scream there are some animatronics in there that really don’t fit the aesthetic of the maze.
We encountered two zombie animatronics within a maze themed around witchcraft. I understand the need to recycle these incredible animatronics but they really do have to be in line with what the maze is all about.
There’s certainly room for improvement with this one and that’s what Xtreme do every single year.
Last year Uncle Enos’s Open Acres was bare bones throughout the outdoor section yet this year it has been themed and is miles better from wandering around a corn field like last years experience.
They’re consistently improving year after year and as the first version of this particular maze it was an impressive one indeed although for me the voodoo torches on the outside of the building etc need to be removed.
A solid start and hopefully the start of an ongoing project to get these new mazes up to the quality that old Xtreme Scream Park mazes such as The Pie Factory and The Village have in spades.
Check out our VLOG from the event HERE
Witches of Hard Luck Wood Review by Sean Evans
