‘Delusion: Reaper’s Remorse’ Starts Spooky Season Off With a Scream (Review)

After a time-traveling trip into the adventure genre in 2019, Delusion has fully embraced their horror roots with 2021’s Reaper’s Remorse. Taking place in and around the historic Phillips Mansion in Pomona, CA, which was originally built in 1875 (!), the experience tells the fictional tale of Esther Phillips who collected artifacts with their owners’ souls still tied to them (Esther existed in real life, but didn’t own objects that held souls… probably).

In Reaper’s Remorse, Esther enlists guests’ help to go into a halfway house that has mysteriously appeared on the property to do… something. I’m not trying to be vague; the overall plot of the show is a little convoluted, leaning on some conventions and tropes to get the audience into the action. Just why Esther has gone about collecting souls isn’t terribly clear from the start, but what’s communicated gives enough to set up the show and send you and your fellow attendees into the house and into the action.

(The following is mostly spoiler-free.)

With a little “encouragement” from Esther, participants make their way through the freshly arrived building room-by-room with help from the various souls who are trapped there because of the woman’s obsession. Although the larger story of Reaper’s Remorse falters some because it doesn’t offer enough on why Esther is doing what she’s doing, the interactions with these characters makes up for what the narrative lacks.

Their stories — and reasons for being stuck — provide more immediate consequences while you’re dealing with Esther’s request and enough emotional backbone to keep audiences engaged. The inclusion of the lost souls also makes the experience feel like a cross between a video game (the kind where you’re handed off from NPC to NPC as you progress) and a haunted house flick (more on the movie thing in a minute).

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As Esther’s trapped souls lead the audience around, we encounter the special effects that Delusion has become known for. They range from simple-but-effective gags to more complex “how’d they do that?” type tricks that add to the horror vibes and overall atmosphere of the experience. One scene near the middle of the show also pulls together a few different effects at the same time while building to the climax of one character’s arc;the whole thing goes off like gangbusters to create what’s maybetheset piece of the show.

That sequence, and more than a few others, feels like you’re watching a movie in the way the creators frame the action for the audience, taking advantage of those aforementioned special effects and musical cues. Using cinematic touches in immersive isn’t that rare, but it isn’t all that common either. Usually space constraints force creators into a more intimate or personal framing of the action, so it’s nice to see Reaper’s Remorse use the ample space they have to try something on a grander scale. It’s most noticeable as you approach the halfway house, but you’ll feel it in other places throughout the show as well, like the previously mentioned set piece, a scene with a cruel piano teacher, and more.

The other thing that Delusion does well is to instill a sense of play and interactivity into their experience. That idea begins with the pre- (or post-) show sandbox-esque sequence where audience members can peruse the Phillips Mansion for bits of information, sometimes in the form of a note or in the form of a talking doll, which explain more of what’s going on. It takes maybe 15 minutes to check out everything, but if you enjoy it before your showtime, it will offer some intriguing teases about what’s going on with Esther’s collection.

During the show proper, you can expect to sneak, hide, talk to a different creepy doll (seriously, there are a lot of talking dolls hanging around), and even capture lost souls using an ancient artifact. Those are easy ways to instill a sense of play in a show, but it’s genuinely fun trying to hide from a ghost or running away from a creepy doll (I told you, lots of dolls). There’s also a VIP ticket that will offer an additional short experience with some neat tricks; but at an extra thirty bucks for about 10 minutes of story content, I’m not quite sure it’s worth it unless you really want to hit the VIP lounge which is also included in the price. [Ed. note: There’s a whole snack bar with some shockingly good flatbreads and vegan tacos, along with outdoor seating, so there’s definitely options on the ground either way. It is quite possible to make a night of it there.]

One thing that I also want to mention is the show’s COVID-19 protocols. Delusion currently requires all guests to wear masks while indoors. In practice, that means you’ll have a mask on for the entirety of the performance. However, the actors in the show are not wearing masks, though their web site notes that all cast and crew of Reaper’s Remorse have been vaccinated. (Proof of vaccination is not required to attend.) This was the first in-person show I’ve done since the pandemic started and I never felt uncomfortable with the situation because the cast, crew, and attendees were all pretty on top of it the night I attended. But it will come down to your personal comfort level with the show’s protocols.

After a year without Halloween activities around Los Angeles, Delusion: Reaper’s Remorse marks a return to form for the best season of the year. It was a welcome, concentrated blast of immersive-horror-fun, and exactly what I was looking for.

Delusion: Reaper’s Remorse runs through November 21 in Pomona, CA. Tickets start at $89.

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