Phantom Peak's new Halloween offering gives us an opportunity to speak to the dead alongside Vesper - the town's newest character. We ventured over the Ridge to try it out...
Immersive Rumours received complimentary tickets to this show and as such, are disclosing this information before our review. They have had no input in the below and all thoughts are our own.
Photo: Alistair Veryard
Phantom Peak is an immersive experience we've spoken at length about before (see our recent five-star review here). It continues to be one of our favourite events in London - a big part of that is the regular seasonal updates. With a fresh load of trails recently unleashed for Halloween, we've already visited several times to explore the town and see how Phantom Peak's overarching story continues.
This year on top of the ten Hallowed Peak trails available, there's a new add-on for those who want an extra dose of spooks during their visit. For an additional charge, you can take part in Phantom Peak's Spooky Seance behind closed doors with Vesper - one of the show's newer characters. Earlier this week, we travelled over the Ridge to try out this brand-new experience and see what it's all about....
Our séance experience began with Vesper welcoming us in a dimly lit corner of the town's closed-off JonaLabs facility. With only a single lantern to illuminate the space, Vesper asks if we've ever spoken to the dead before. When our group of five all say that we haven't, it's revealed by Vesper that it's also their first time hosting one. They're confident that collectively we can manage it without any hiccups, but to be safe they're going to cast a protection spell on us - just in case...
The cast of characters included in each of Phantom Peak's seasons varies based on the main storylines. It's not uncommon for characters to be absent for entire seasons, and later return. For this year's Hallowed Peak, we've been introduced to Vesper - an aspiring medium who has arrived in town seemingly due to the increased paranormal activity that's been reported as of late. With a strong dislike for Spectre - the town's defacto paranormal investigator who's been a mainstay of the show for the last few seasons, they seem determined to prove themselves and out Spectre as being little more than an overpriced racketeer.
Those who are up-to-date on their Phantom Peak lore may remember the JonaLabs facility was added earlier in the year during the Platypus Parade season. It's an impressively themed space that we're glad to see is getting some use again. Upon entering, Vesper comments that there was an incident that took place previously involving a JonaLabs employee that ended horribly. During Platypus Parade, Dr. Autumn had their consciousness uploaded into one of the town's robotic inhabitants - something that seems to have happened in Phantom Peak at least a couple of times now.
Photo: Alistair Veryard
We're invited to take a seat around the ouija table in the middle of the space and talk to some spirits. Guided by Vesper, we managed to connect with a number of ghosts during the experience. With each interaction, our group is invited to place a small wooden trinket we were given at the start on one of three response options - we can either confront, console or condescend the spirits.
Each option leads to a different reaction from the spirit, and while it's largely inconsequential which we picked, there was still a feeling of wanting to pick the 'best' option amongst the group. As we've come to expect in Phantom Peak, these interactions with both Vesper and the ghosts we contacted all have the familiar wit and humour you see in every other bit of the show. One of the spirits is after some dating advice (is it okay to go on a date with the zombie version of your own body?), another feels some guilt towards scaring a child - the tone is very much in keeping with what you'd see doing any of the show's ten main trails.
As the experience progresses, and with this being Vesper's first séance, it's no surprise that things don't quite go according to plan by the end. The conclusion of the show sees us fleeing JonaLabs and facing some peril at the hands of a spirit. It's an engaging and intense ending that sees us in another area previously unseen since Platypus Parade racing against the clock to escape to safety. Within giving the ending away, the séance is another example of Phantom Peak's commitment to long-form storytelling and directly ties into events of the shows past.
While the experience is light on anything resembling proper scares or spooks, overall it's a fun addition to the Hallowed Peak season. Within a show that is built around one-on-one interactions with the townsfolk, getting 20 uninterrupted minutes with a character is great and well worth your time if your favourite part of Phantom Peak is these personal moments. Additionally, for those who are avid trail card collectors, there's a unique card for the séance, which isn't available otherwise.
★★★★
Hallowed Peak runs until Saturday 5th November. Tickets are priced from £39.99, with the Spooky Séance an additional £18.99. Tickets can be booked via phantompeak.com. Check out our other reviews from Phantom Peak here.