Review: HALLOWED PEAK: LUNAR FESTIVAL, Phantom Peak, London

A town has appeared once more in Canada Water, bringing with it a cast of curious townspeople and exciting mysteries to uncover. In this town, you can become a paranomal investigator, make new friends (or enemies!) and even go fishing for platypuses. Will you pass through the gates of Phantom Peak and answer its call?

For those unfamiliar with the immersive experience, Phantom Peak is a “theme park style town, where Phantom Peak seamlessly blends experiential attractions, dining and live gameplay into one never-ending world.” With nearly a dozen trails to explore and four hours in the town, it truly does feel never-ending, but in the best way possible.

The way that Phantom Peak works is a fascinating mix of technology, acting, and the freedom to make choices during your time in the town. You begin your experience with an Opening Ceremony that welcomes you to the town, including a video that illustrates how Phantom Peak works and gives you the website and code to begin going on trails on your phone (known in town as a Jonassist). Each audience member (“tourists”) is given the opportunity to answer a few questions that will send you one of several different trails with wild themes like one townsperson scamming another for “ghostbusting” and another trying to help out his “friend,” the superhero known as Platman. 

“Hallowed Peak” is Phantom Peak’s Halloween season, with tourists being invited to join in on the celebrations taking place for the town’s annual Lunar Festival. The show follows the lore from previous seasons, as “Summer’s Peak” ended with the announcement that, following the many mistakes made by Mayor Pocket, Phantom Peak would be hosting a democratic election for Mayor. So along with having some spooky decorations and themes, “Hallowed Peak” also focuses on the mayoral election, with candidates including the interim Mayor Pocket, an immortal (and evil) talking platypus, a dead former mayor, and even a robotic DJ, aptly named RoboDJ. And you, the tourist, are the one who is able to vote and make a decision for the future of the town. 

Along with the general Phantom Peak experience, I had the opportunity to try one of their add-on experiences, the “Spooky Seance.”  Vesper, an apprentice of Spectre and Vox, brings you into an exclusive space in the town to speak with the dead. It’s mostly fun with a few scares thrown in, making it appropriate for a range of ages. You even receive a special trail card at the end, which is quite appealing for people like me who are always on the quest for more trails. And for those who were at one of Phantom Peak’s earlier seasons, “Platypus Parade,” the Seance may have some extra meaning!

During the four hours that I was at Phantom Peak, I completed four different trails, feeling a sense of pride each time a townsperson handed me a trail card and I was able to begin my next adventure. And fret not if you’re not one to be running around for hours - many people also choose to relax during their time at Phantom Peak, grabbing drinks with friends and sitting around the many tables throughout the town. Finally, after hours of exploring and getting as many trail cards as possible, it was time for the Closing Ceremony, in which the results of the election would be revealed. I won’t go into any spoilers for this part, but definitely stick around for the very end of the show!

As someone who has been visiting Phantom Peak since the “Platypus Parade” season in Spring of 2023, it has been incredible to witness how much the town has grown over the past several months. Each season builds upon the last, taking what has worked and making it the best it can be while improving on other aspects based on feedback. The food and drink offerings are delicious and quite affordable for London (I would highly recommend getting some fries and a “HallowPeak” cocktail). The actors who keep returning continue to take on more knowledge of the town while still retaining the lore of the past, and the newer actors appear to fit right in with the other townspeople as if they have been in the Peak their whole lives. 

Ultimately, Phantom Peak - “Hallowed Peak: The Lunar Festival” is one of, if not the, best immersive shows in London, combining technology and performing in a way that has not been seen before. Even over a year since its opening, it continues to be innovative and surpasses expectations of those visiting for the first time and those who have been there since its opening. I look forward to returning to the Lunar Festival and cannot wait to see what comes next at Phantom Peak!

Phantom Peak - Hallowed Peak: The Lunar Festival runs until 5 November in Canada Water.

Photo Credit: Alistair Veryard Photography

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