RECAP & ANALYSIS:  Brimstone Haunt is comprised of three uniquely themed attractions - The Haunted Hayride, The Bog, and Psychosis, all accessed from a central “Midway” area, which also stations additional entertainment options, drinks, and concessions.

THE HAUNTED HAYRIDE:  Boarding the award-winning, tractor-drawn Hayride, nightmares are about to become reality!  The journey begins when the wagon rolls into the Brimstone Penitentiary, where an electric-chair execution and a lethal hanging are being conducted simultaneously!  Chaos erupts, taking the form of a wild prison break witnessing a straight-jacketed escapee and his jailbird cohort charging onto the ride terrorizing passengers in the process!  Pushing deeper into the cornfield discovers s Drive-Thru Theatre projecting Night of the Living Deadacross a giant screen. Fire bursts skyward as the ride rumbles past abandoned farm machinery, only to be jolted by a souped-up SUV with equipped with a flashing caution light that comes roaring out of the corn, nearly slamming into the wagon in tribute to our old friend, the hot rod hearse!

Staked, pumpkin-headed scarecrows soon come to life when one massive, mechanical stalk rises high into the air, then bends down over the cart!  Out of the shadows gallops last season's Best Scare recipient — the legendary Headless Horseman, seen charging up along both sides of the hayride proudly displaying his glowing pumpkin head in hand!  Terrors continue with a cleaver-swinging, pig-faced Butcher outside Mamaw’s Slaughterhouse, advertising “the best pork chops in the USA!” Carved pigs dangle from an overhead conveyor belt while human bodies are murderously mutilated and sawed in two!

Mayhem ramps up yet again when another ambulance-like speedster zooms onto the scene piloted by a pair of jesters grabbing out the windows and clawing at passengers on board the ride, and crowding closer and closer as if they intend to run us off the road!  Brimstone Heights is up next, where more crazed, chainsaw-wielding clowns attack in the midst of a wrecked carnival midway!  Frank’s Body Shop takes its turn too, highlighted by a rusting vehicle suddenly exploding into a raging inferno!  One final, full-throttle, motorized chase is unleashed courtesy of a siren-blaring, horn-honking Hamilton Township Fire Truck that flies up from behind, ramming into the back of the hayride!  And just when it looks like all is clear, here comes Area 73 — a top-secret military facility that's been overrun with alien mutants spewing some sort of mist at those on board while gas-masked soldiers storm the wagon, sealing the experience with one last heart-pounding scare!

Most Memorable characters include jailbirds, cleaver waving, pig-face butcher, chainsaw maniacs that climb aboard and rattle the whole wagon with the vibrations of their saws, and The Headless Horseman, which is always a much-anticipated scare for anyone that's been here before!  Car chases and firetruck are all greatly appreciated!  Pumpkin-headed scare is well done as it seemingly falls down onto the wagon ensnaring those onboard.  Use of fire is also an impressive effect, and is taken advantage of on two separate occasions — first among the abandoned farm equipment then again in at Frank's.  Sounds onboard the hayride are an added treat and make for a great soundtrack, although it drowns out the firetruck's siren at times. New alien area adds some spice to the ending, which was needed per last year's review. Moving harvester is missed.

- 18½ Minutes

THE BOG:  Entrance through a wooden facade dumps immediately into the woods, where a decaying ghost town awaits.  From a barber shop to a Halloween store and even an abandoned movie theater, the remnants of once-thriving businesses sit idly by among wrecked cars and a downed helicopter.  A strange mutant slithers through the brush reaching out at passersby, while a mechanical victim screams in agony while being electrocuted by a fallen telephone pole.  The “Forgotten Forest” expands in a succession of scenes including a saloon offering up bloody shots; crooked, 1031's slanted garage; a lengthy run-in with a threatening, pumpkin-headed fiend; a school junkyard littered with lockers and buses; and a spooky graveyard that provides an eternal home for the legendary Springboro Haunted Hayride's Hot Rod Hearse!

Still to come, a pond stirs with a massive yellow-eyed alligator; and off the beaten path, an isolated ER is visited, where a deranged doctor gleefully offers “vaccines” and tries to hack off a few oversized limbs!  Other highlights take the form of a toxic waste dump complete with blaring alarms and prowling creatures; a deranged psycho circus starring the site's resident teddy bear monster; and a blood-curdling, chainsaw chase-out that leaves no one safe at Brimstone's Bog!

The Bog continues to make it's mark as one of the strongest supporting attractions around.  Pumpkin-headed villain, ground-crawling mutant, and Doctor are by far the best performers.  Seeing the Springboro hearse resting quietly in the cemetery is a nice, nostalgic touch, but we kept waiting for it to come roaring back to life for an encore chase!  (We can dream, can't we?)  Absence of two award-winning scenes from last season (Lester and the ice cream truck scare leaves a noticeable gap as they weren't given substantial replacements.  The Bog can always be counted on to deliver a lengthy, highly-enertic adventure and the venue's detailed construction and legitimacy are greatly appreciated.

- 16 Minutes

PSYCHOSIS (2024 Review): This mostly indoor experience gets underway inside a vibrating elevator that rocks and shakes its way “downward” into Tunnel 6 where lightlessness contributes to emotional unrest.  Obstacles appear out of nowhere including an enormous, spinning circular saw that lunges out into the pathway, nearly cutting into your torso!  Mechanical incursions project from walls, etc.; a hooded, jailhouse-style, electric chair execution is witnessed amid flickering lights and blaring sirens; and a conflict with a metallic, blue-eyed robot must be avoided as the course continues through a claustrophobic passage.  Disputes with a fiend having a saw blade for a hand and another well-hidden antagonist produce unexpected jump scares in advance of a medical mishap that observes a diabolical doctor drilling into a helpless patient!  Body bags and a near-miss, horn-honking hit-and-run are still to come prior to the adventure climaxing with a deadly chainsaw chase-out of Psychosis!

Saw-handed rival and his accomplice are the most memorable characters.  Chainsaw assailant also does a good job!  Sounds are appropriate and loud.  Elevator, rotating table saw, robot, and claustrophobia are the best props.

- 8 Minutes

MIDWAY:  In addition to functioning as a central access point for Brimstone’s haunted attractions, The Midway also offers photo ops, concessions, a picnic area, and drinks (including adult “spirits” served at the Liquor Lab), as well as some other on-site entertainment options:  Zombie Assault, an apocalyptic virtual reality experience; Operation Doom, a life-sized, monster version of the popular game Operation; Axe Throwing (self-explanatory); Halloween Ring Toss, where your aim is tested by trying to land the perfect throw on a spooky target; and Cranium Crusher, a game where a hammer is used to launch "brains" back inside a zombie's skull.

OVERALL:  Brimstone has a magnificent setup with plenty of parking and a festive atmosphere.  Anchored by three distinctively different haunted attractions, the venue unites food, beverages (including beer), a Gift Shop, and optional participation style activities all at the same location.  Online tickets range from $23.99 for a single attraction up to $65.99 for their Fast Pass Ultimate package that includes unlimited VIP entry to all three haunts as well as unlimited access to all Midway experiences.  The General Admission ticket provides unlimited access to the Hayride, Bog, and Psychosis.  That's a tremendous value costing $37.99 (online) and might be the best way to go.  Hayride has always been recognized as one of the best the area has to offer! It's the star of the show, but don't dismiss The Bog's overall contribution! Psychosis has not yet been reviewed this season due to time restraints. Brimstone Haunt is a proud member of The Ohio Valley Haunts Passport of Terror Tour!  This Halloween season, plan on spending a night at Brimstone Haunt!