I gripped Norm’s arm as the door slammed open; we weren’t alone any longer. From my spot beneath the bed, I took a quick peek, only to see something quickly glide across the floor on eight legs…something huge and terrifying. What my eyes saw was not being comprehended by my brain, so instead, I just sat there in terror…until its eight eyes glared back at me in the darkness.

I ran for my life.

Such was a moment from this year’s show Delusion: Valley of Hollows, the next terrifying chapter in the show’s long-running history. Last year, Delusion fans were treated to a visit to the Philips Mansion in Pomona, visiting Esther Philips on her quest to trap some ghostly souls. Now, Delusion returns to the same location with a continuation of the same story, furthering our look into Philips’ twisted world.

Set decades after last year’s story, the story takes place in the 1970s, with the mansion now being overrun by a group of hippies who have started a cult around Philips’ legacy. While posing as new members of the cult, we were actually undercover FBI agents there to rescue and deprogram a young man whom we had already previously recused from said house. Aided by his sister, we made our way into the home to find what horrors awaited us.

And what horror it was! As a fan of last year’s show, it was great to get a continuation of the story to see what had happened in the years since. While the story was not as strong as years prior, I did quite enjoy it. Seeing some of the characters from last year in a different light (and seeing the house in a new way, too) only added to our experience.

As with years past, Delusion does a masterful job of incorporating movie-level special effects and visual delights to blur the line between reality and the world beyond. As per usual, the creature design of these shows is off the chart, and there were quite a few standout moments that made me gasp when these things appeared.

The cast was fantastic as well, with each person fully committing to their role. The interactions we had during the pre-show, before the main show, did help the story along, but wound up feeling disjointed from the rest of the overall story. However, this was a minor point for me, as I did enjoy the main story quite a bit.

I do think it is worth mentioning that the ending was a bit of a letdown, though. Despite the entire show being fairly fast-paced, with characters racing us from one room to the next in order to serve the story, the end felt kind of lackluster. While it was meant to be a big set piece, I think the timing of it needs to be worked out a bit more to have the visual and emotional impact necessary to really stuck with us.

While not as strong as other shows from Delusion’s past, we still feel that this is a worthy entry into the Delusion franchise.

To learn more, visit them online at enterdelusion.com

Recently, Delusion has come under scrutiny surrounding working conditions that have come to light over the last year. We reached out to the 13th Floor for a statement on the matter. Show creator Jon Braver responded in a statement, saying “For every season of Delusion, despite the old venues we occupy, we obtain all required city permits and insurance to operate and do everything in our power to provide a supportive and safe environment for our cast, crew and guests. We remain transparent about the nature of these old venues and address any issues as they occur with expediency. Overall, the safety of our staff is extremely important to me and Thirteenth Floor Entertainment Group. I have spent most of my professional life as a Hollywood stuntman, so I’m always taking employee safety into consideration in every scene.”