That chill in the air? Haunted houses are opening now across the Chicago region for the 2022 scare season.

Our annual haunt roundup has grown leaner this year, down to a dozen. Others have been cruelly cut down by the pandemic, massacred by rising costs, crushed by big-budget corporate haunts. (We’re looking at you, 13th Floor.) Or sometimes, simply, it was their time. The late and longtime Statesville Haunted Prison announced its “Final Fear” last year — but operator Zombie Army Productions is still alive and kicking with Hellsgate in Lockport. And there’s even some new meat this year: Nightmare on Clark Street in the city, a pop-up three-floor haunted house in the Deuce’s sports bar in Wrigleyville.

Our list here may add more haunts between now and Halloween, and we’ll also be adding more 2022 in-person reports by Tribune staff.

Basement of the Dead

42 W. New York St., Aurora (basementofthedead.com)

Down the way from the Hollywood Casino in Aurora, tucked behind a bevy of businesses and bars, is one helluva haunted experience. Upon entering, we saw a bald monster eating a woman like a chicken leg, which really set the scene. The duration of the scary fun was longer than most (15,000 square feet in all), mainly due to the tight turns and angles, and the animatronic monsters and dummies jumping from the walls. While the actors interspersed among the scary effects couldn’t touch you, it felt and looked like any of the creepy crawlies that were triggered by movement could. Exits signs along the way made it seem like we were nearing the end of our torturous journey, but the scary merriment continued a while after them. We saw a masochistic operating theater, sadistic nuns, deep sea anomalies, and spiders … why are there always spiders? The coup de grâce however, of Basement of the Dead lies on the uneven floors, surprises that fall from the ceiling, and one room that literally spins you around and almost makes you lose your balance. In this way of continuous head swiveling, you tend to hunch over, trying to use all your senses to get to the end. Upon exiting, my cohorts and I were all sweating and laughing at each other’s reactions.

— DARCEL ROCKETT

What else: Basement of the Dead also offers Shattered 3D next door. Your general admission gives access to both haunted experiences and the Disturbia Haunted House in Downers Grove.

Tickets $29.99 to $54.99 VIP; open through Oct. 31, then Nov. 5 Lights Out night.

Midnight Terror Haunted House

5520 W. 111th St., Oak Lawn (midnightterrorhauntedhouse.com)

Ensconced in a warehouse space catty-corner to Chapel Hill Garden South Cemetery in Oak Lawn sits Midnight Terror, a haunted experience with staging, presence and enough screams that you don’t have to bother straining your voice yourself. Seriously, part of the audition had to be: How well can you offer bloodcurdling yells as people walk by? The twists and turns in this space center on an evil factory owner, poor working conditions for his employees and the owner’s daughter Willow — and of course, a demon lord named Malum, aka Hammer of Hell. There’s evil dentists, doctors, wretched classrooms, ice cream shop vendors — actors popping forth from the walls to scream in your ear when you turn a corner. But the best part of the haunted experience are the areas that force you to almost crabwalk through darkened passageways that have you wondering if you truly are claustrophobic. With eyes trained so hard on trying to gauge whether a prop is a real person or not, Midnight Terror is a gem of a gory time to share with friends and family.

— DARCEL ROCKETT

Tickets $20-$65, general admission most night from $30, Fast Pass $50, open through Nov. 5.

13th Floor Haunted House

5050 River Road, Schiller Park (13thfloorchicago.com)

First things first, I don’t do scary. Once when I was 6 or 7 years old, my brother put on a terrifying Halloween mask that he found in the storage of our basement and came upstairs to scare me. I was so frightened I ended up getting a fever. So the worst thing about haunted houses for me are the jump scares, and the 13th Floor Haunted House had a decent amount. The beginning is dark and creepy with obnoxious bangs and chainsaw noises (always unsettling) and scare-actors crouching in the corners waiting to pounce. Lots of strobe light effects too, which are meant to throw you off balance, and they do. Much to the delight of my husband and cousins whose threshold of scary is “The Exorcist,” I was screaming and screeching at every turn. But not really because it was horrifying, but because the anticipation wrecked me. And even if you’re not shaken out of your soul, you’ll be impressed with the over-the-top ghoulish decor and carefully curated rooms filled with cut-open “bodies,” the unnerving clown from the movie “It” and a cackling witch.

— ZAREEN SYED

What else: 13th Floor is put on by the nationwide Thirteenth Floor Entertainment Group, which also presents Old Joliet Haunted Prison. If you remember the Melrose Park haunt, 13th Floor is in a new location this year. Mini Escape Games are five-minute puzzle experiences for groups.

Tickets $29.99 and up (dynamic pricing); open through Nov. 5.

Dungeon of Doom

600 29th St., Zion (dungeonofdoom.com)

This sprawling haunted house owned by Peter Koklamanis is located in north suburban Zion, down at the end of an isolated road. Halloween night is “Slasher Night” with a tribute to horror movie icons.

What else: Buried Alive Experience as a fun upgrade.

Tickets $30-$55, open through Oct. 31, then Blackout nights Nov. 4-5 and Sub-Thermal Nightmare Dec. 16-17 just in time for the holidays.

Nightmare on Clark Street

3505 N. Clark St. (nightmareonclarkst.com)

While the real nightmare here is parking in Wrigleyville, Nightmare on Clark Street delivers an immersive experience that whisks you up an escalator above the restaurant and winds you through chilling sights on three floors. Even if you’re tough to scare, you won’t be bored, and the shaking platforms and jarring high pressure puffs of air are definitely enough to keep you on your toes.

My companion was an admitted scaredy cat and took to clutching the back of my tote bag as I led us both through the dark crevices and around the creepy mannequins, giant spiders and spooky animatronics. Around halfway through, an attendant approached us to give us an out, but we turned it down and soldiered on. The main jump scares in this haunt are the ghastly noises, vibrating surfaces and light sensations, but it was never too much all at once. The dedication to decor is certainly a highlight — three giant skeletons signal you’re in the right place out front, and you don’t feel like you might be in a sports bar until you get to the very top and get to a rooftop with a pleasant view of the city on a nice night. They staggered groups for the haunted house in two-minute intervals, so my friend and I explored the haunt with privacy for the majority of our visit. In all, expect about 20 minutes of terror. Be prepared for a few light sprays of water as well. What sets this haunt apart — a reprieve from the scares, if you will — was a bar about midway through where we ordered Jello shots enclosed in a syringe. From there we were ready to take on the truly chilling showstopper of “Nightmare”: finding our way through a mirrored maze and then through a hallway in nearly total darkness. Upon exit, I was shaking with relief!

What else: Yes, the restaurant is still open as well. For a post-scare snack session, Deuce’s haunted circus-themed patio serves Halloween-inspired drinks and bites, and the bar and restaurant inside are decked out in cobwebs and skeletons galore. You may hear the eerie groans and air puffs from the haunted house while you nibble on an Oktoberfest-style giant pretzel, but it doesn’t take away from the jovial atmosphere.

— LAURYN AZU

Tickets from $10, open on select nights through Oct. 31.

Hellsgate Haunted House

301 W. 2nd Street, Lockport (www.hellsgate.com)

Statesville Haunted Prison is dead, long live the demented clowns. So operator Zombie Army Productions is putting all of its 2022 energies into this haunt deep off the beaten path in a mansion in the woods. The scares start before you get to the front door. Inside, expect multiple floors and a memorable giant slide.

What else: Once you’re parked, a shuttle bus takes you to the grounds. For a $125 “Hell Pass,” says Hellsgate, “we will mark your friend or family member as our personal target for the entire tour.” So that could be fun.

Tickets $35 and up, with special experiences and backstage passes also available. Open through Nov. 5.

The Massacre

299 Montgomery Road, Montgomery (fearthemassacre.com)

More that 20,000 square feet of fear at this longtime west suburban haunt, which promises to be new each season. If it’s a dark and stormy night, all waiting areas and haunts are indoors.

What else: Mind Trap Escape Rooms this year include Mafia Heist, Vampires and five more most of them 75 minutes or hour-long experiences. Plus Bull & Bear Axe Throwing at the same location.

Tickets from $24.99, Fast Pass $49.99, open through Oct. 31.

Fright Fest at Six Flags Great America

1 Great America Parkway, Gurnee (www.sixflags.com/greatamerica)

Come for the scares, stay for the rides, or the other way around. Fright Fest has been steadily expanding its options over the years and includes themed rides and scare zones along with the haunts — this year there’s Gates of Hell, Condemned, 13th Order, Big Top Terror and Bloodshed.

What else: Costumes and masks are not permitted. The park is family-friendly until 6 p.m., then the monsters come out.

Fright Fest Bundle starts at $49.99 and up, open through Oct. 31.

Realm of Terror

421 W. Rollins Road in Round Lake Beach (www.realmofterror.com)

Realm of Terror has been running for more than 20 years and likes to brag about its effects; the look of the dedicated scare staff is by “Faceoff” Season 9′s Stevie Calabrese. Plus the ticket prices are refreshingly old-school.

What else: Realm of Terror boasts the Haunt Bar (ages 21+), the only haunt we know of with a bar.

Ticket $19.99 and up, open through Oct. 30.

Evil Intentions

900 Grace Street, Elgin (https://eihaunt.com)

Located in the home of the former Elgin Casket Co. (really), Evil Intentions is a “multi-level 55,000-square-foot paranormal hot spot.”

What else: After hours Ghost Tours of the former factory are available.

Tickets $35 and up, open through Oct. 31.

Old Joliet Haunted Prison

401 Woodruff Road, Joliet (www.hauntedprison.com)

For a haunted house, you couldn’t ask for a better venue the imposing, Gothic towers and high stone walls of the former Joliet Correctional Center, built 160 years ago and designed by architect William Boyington (who created the stony old Chicago Water Tower). Like 13th Floor in Schiller Park, this newer haunt is put on by the Thirteenth Floor Entertainment Group. Themes this year are “Abominations” and “Tormented.”

What else: Mini Escape Games are five-minute puzzle experiences for groups, and The Commissary (ages 21+) has food and drink concessions.

Tickets $29.99 and up (dynamic pricing); open through Nov. 5.

Disturbia Haunted House

1213 Butterfield Road, Downers Grove (hauntedhousedisturbia.com)

Disturbia is back for 2022 in Downer’s Grove, a warehouse-like companion haunt to Basement of the Dead.

Tickets $30-$50, open through Oct. 31, then Nov. 5 Lights Out night.

dgeorge@chicagotribune.com

Dearly departed? Our guides from years past ...

• 2021: Statesville Haunted Prison goes out with a scream.

• 2020: Enter at your own risk.

• 2019: Our Top 17 scares for your Halloween.

• 2018: Haunted Houses in Chicago for your Halloween.

• 2017: Haunted house guide: Our Top Spots.

• 2016: Chain saws, deranged clowns and more.

• 2015: The Tribune Haunted House Guide.

• 2014: Haunted Houses in Chicago.

• 2013: Guide to Chicago Haunted Houses.

• 2012: Fear City to Eleventh Hour, a Halloween guide.

• 2011: Our Halloween ‘how’ guide.