The claustrophobic tunnels give way to an actual room. Out of the dark, and into the neon glow. A series of three hard hats hang on the wall against a sign warning that protection is needed beyond this point. And as I progress, I understand why. Only a chain link fence separates me from what appears to be a futuristic laboratory, a demonic creature on life support lies on an operating table. Various screens showcase what looks to be a cellular response occurring in real time. Dr. Johan Sanguis, PhD, barely looks up, too focused on his creation—but that doesn’t stop a second creature from noticing me. Ape-like in character, it hoots and hollers, and then jumps onto the fence, hanging from it with hands and feel, as it rocks back and forth in animalistic fervor. We’ve walked into Prism Haunted House’s Micro Lab 4 – a home haunt in Mission Viejo.

Beginning in 2018, Prism is a home haunt located Mission Viejo, CA, focusing on the ongoing story of Dr. Sanguis and his futuristic technology. Traditionally, a linear walkthrough experience, 2020 and Covid saw creator David Fefferman shift gears into a theme-park level synchronized show of projections, lighting, fogs, and actors; it was a highlight of our season. Their 2021 experience Micro Lab 4 denotes a shift back to the walkthrough experience, and while some of the technological triggers, projections, and narrative that 2020 brought to the forefront are sorely missed, it remains one of the better home haunts this Halloween.

Clocking in at approximately a five-minute experience, guests are led through the dark, claustrophobic back corridors of the lab, only to come face to face with Dr. Sanguis and his creations. Thus, the haunt beautifully plays with duality, mixing blacks darker than black with radioactive neons to create perfect contrasts and visually appealing sets. Scientific monitors and medical equipment are showcased along side of creatures so horrific they could only come from nightmares—and not from progress. It’s a haunt that showcases the dangers of science left unchecked.

While oversight and regulation are an answer to protection of science, sometimes regulation can create red-tape and rules that also hinder the progression of good. That may just be the case of Prism in 2021, and Micro Lab 4. This year, Prism was faced with direct oversight and inspections from the city of Mission Viejo, which in turn, forced them to scale back the haunt, specifically removing some of the complex technological timing and projection mappings that characterized the 2020 experience, as well as trimming the length and footprint of the maze itself.

Thus, Prism’s Micro Lab 4 is only a shadow of what it could have been—a high-tech experience in which interactivity, narrative, and science are all married together. So, to set expectations, don’t attend Micro Lab 4 expecting 2020 Prism—it’s not that, not yet at least; but if you compare it to other home haunts and its 2019 offering, it’s a fantastic experience with some great scares, gorgeous sets, and strong theming.

The details here are overflowing with care and love for this haunt. The initial sections are foggy, tight, and dark, reminiscent of moving through ventilation shafts (without crawling) and forgotten corridors of a labyrinthine laboratory. Here, experiments left to rot with time can be seen, offering small glimpses into the lore of this haunt. But the true beauty comes in the second half, which is the laboratory. There’s so much to see here; and while the ape-like monstrosity pushes you forward, it’s hard not to want to stay and marvel at the details. The sets are so meticulous that feels like a real lab, not just a haunt reimaging of one.

One other thing that Prism is exceptional at is engaging audiences while they wait in line. This is not the type of experience where you are simply in a queue, waiting in silence. Instead, they have gorgeous sets and numerous actors out to engage guests before they even step into the experience. A monster is chained to a rack of barrels, and they expertly use these barrels to create a barrage of sounds and scares. Another actor, in a trypophobic mask, expertly moves through the line, ensuring that audiences are kept on their toes. There’s neon barrels, glowing with radioactive waste, and plenty to catch the eye—even for those driving a street over.

Ultimately, Prism’s Micro Lab 4 is a beautiful home haunt showcasing the power of contrasts and duality. While we do miss the narrative through line and technology of 2020, we fully understand that all of this is out of the creator’s hands—and what they did accomplish with the sets, acting, and details is more than enough to warrant a visit to this fantastic home haunt. We just hope that Prism is able to break free of the bonds that limit and bind them—and perhaps next year, we may see the perfect marriage of dreams and technology that 2020 seemed to promise.

For more information about Prism and Micro Lab 4, check out their website, Facebook and Instagram pages. For information about similar events, check out our Event Calendar.

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Prism Haunted House returned to a walk-through format in 2021 with Micro Lab 4.