Have you ever wanted to participate in a real-world video game experience? The Empty Chest is Metro Vancouver’s first and only immersive haunted adventure. With over 20 live non-player characters and 40 spooky quests, it is like a love child of Dungeons and Dragons and real-life, choose-your-own-adventure gaming.
The Empty Chest Halloween Haunted Adventure has upscaled massively this year, with multiple structures scattered throughout Warner Loat Park forming the fantasy outdoor village of Ravencroft. The incredible characters are brought to life by local professional improv actors. Each non-player character (NPC) is swathed in detailed costumes and prosthetics within their own personalized setting laden with props adding to the experience. Patrons are encouraged to dress up in their best medieval attire to really escape in the whole adventure.
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What to expect at Empty Chest Haunted Adventure
Start with four friends and a map to explore the village of Ravencroft to choose your own path as you spend two hours fully immersed in grinding quests and deciphering riddles. Study your map to correctly solve five mysteries along the way to earn a special taste at the tavern. Interactions with NCP lead you on a journey throughout the village as you partake in archery, axe throwing, and escape room puzzles to collect gold coins.
Once you have collected enough coins, complete your archery lesson and become a hero by completing the final quest. Alternately, spend your evening in the tavern drinking Steamworks ale with Vikings while singing songs to Bard’s live music.
Empty Chest quest map. Photo: Mike Lomond©
We recommend dressing for the weather and bringing along a small flashlight and a sense of adventure and humour. Age limit is 19+.
According to the Bard of the Tavern, this event “is about bringing a Dungeon Quest experience to real life […such as] axe throwing and the bows and arrows, and now [they] have expanded to have several more actors, so [players] have more of the full immersive experience.”
Empty Chest fun-filled fantasy adventure. Photo: Melanie Lomond©
Empty Chest fun-filled fantasy adventure. Photo: Stephanie Carr©
Empty Chest fun-filled fantasy adventure. Photo: Melanie Lomond©
Empty Chest fun-filled fantasy adventure. Photo: Melanie Lomond©
Empty Chest fun-filled fantasy adventure. Photo: Melanie Lomond©
Empty Chest Burnaby Halloween Festival Event. Photo: Melanie Lomond©
Empty Chest VIP experience
If two hours isn’t enough of this fantasy experience, they offer a full-day VIP experience where you learn how to carve your own custom bow with a professional archer from Animus.
The Empty Chest is also planning a Halloween on Christmas experience for those who crave even more. See their website for details.
The event is sponsored by Tourism Burnaby and Steamworks Brewing Co.
When: Oct 21-31, 2022
Where: Warner Loat Park, Burnaby BC
Tickets: www.theemptychest.com
Looking for more fun-filled event ideas?
Check out our 2022 Halloween Guide for Metro Vancouver, best pumpkin patches and corn mazes in Metro Vancouver, Best Metro Vancouver Fall Events and Festivals 2022, and the 2022 guide for Vancouver Christmas events, holiday light displays and markets.
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Have you been here? Want to go or have other tips or comments. We'd love to hear from you.