The London Dungeon’s latest addition, the Vengeance ride, fails to live up to the extremely high standards of atmosphere and authenticity set out by one of the capital’s greatest attractions.
Billed as a ‘5D’ experience, 25 people at a time sit in a cinema-type layout where a 3D film plays with standard 4D effects such as water spray and seat vibrations.
The apparent fifth element is the vintage-style pistols which are supposed to be used to shoot the spirits featured in the film. Interestingly, the guns seem to have no effect on them or the ride in any way, no visible laser beam is emitted and there is nothing like a score or any acknowledgment that you’ve actually hit something.
The entire seating black spins round at 180 degree increments and faces a screen on the opposite side intermittently during the ride cycle.
Ironically, the changes of direction are the most exciting part of the ride. There is a dramatic groaning from the rotors spinning and the turns produce moderate centrifugal force.
Poor quality
The graphics of the film are extremely poor quality, certainly we know that Merlin Entertainments are capable of much greater things as we have seen at their other London attractions.
The Dungeon is an extremely high quality experience with an immersive atmosphere and brilliant scenes – but this attraction fails to fit in among the high standard.
We were Tweeted today saying that there are still adjustments being made (the ride has only been open a week), but the ride seems to be poorly thought-out and planned.
Using something as bold as a ‘5D’ experience should imply an absolutely groundbreaking world-first, since the term 4D was already gimmicky and hardly factual in the first place.
However, it isn’t particularly damaging to the Dungeon, which remains one of the jewels in London’s crown, but you do feel that an opportunity to further enhance its reputation, has been inexcusably fluffed.