Haunted houses are horrifying enough, but add a virtual reality spin and you've catapulted from spine-tingling shivers to ear-splitting screams. This month, SmartyPantz, one of Vancouver's original escape rooms, has teamed up with virtual reality experts at vrCave to produce the Hospital of Horror - a terrifyingly lifelike VR experience that instantaneously transports guests to a derelict sanitorium where they might or might not be alone.

Hospital of Horror isn't so much an escape room as an immersive journey into a completely fabricated, yet realistic virtual world. Before entering the abandoned 'hospital' you'll strap on VR headsets and don backpacks with necessary equipment. Then, you plunge into darkness with complete freedom to explore and ultimately scare yourself silly. We won't give away the surprise here, but rest assured it won't take long for your heartbeat to ratchet up to top speed.

The experience is designed for 2 people to play at once, and trust us, you'll be thankful to have a partner in crime. It lasts an agonizing 10 minutes that feels much, much longer. This definitely isn't for the faint of heart. Be prepared for spooks and haunts to send you shrieking at every dark corner, but it's buckets of fun and makes for a memorable date night or fearfest with friends. Just beware: the Hospital of Horror will linger with you long after you've departed for the night.