STARStruck in Las Vegas: The Resident Evil Immersive Experience at Universal Horror Unleashed

Resident Evil is coming alive in Las Vegas. Area 15, the off-strip entertainment complex home to Universal's Horror Unleashed, has extended its stay in Raccoon City. Universal Horror Unleashed (UHU) is a branch of the iconic Halloween Horror Nights seasonal haunt at the Universal Studios parks, delivering haunted-house scares and themed merchandise year-round. There have been a few seasonal overlays in UHU, but in late summer 2026, they launched what has easily been their most covered and coveted collaboration to date: the Resident Evil Takeover. The haunted house complex features four permanent housing attractions, three eateries with full bars, and an exclusive gift shop. The Resident Evil Takeover has spilled the world of STARS and RPD into the hallowed halls, with an immersive storyline that places guests smack dab in the middle of a Raccoon City infected outbreak. 

Enter Raccoon City in Sin City

UHU is tucked behind the main Area 15 complex, and with good reason- the screams would probably scare the sprinkles out of the Museum of Ice Cream guests. Upon entering UHU, the lore begins immediately. The UHU campus is canonically a prop warehouse used by Universal Studios to house old sets and costumes from its original iconic Universal Monsters movie series. While there are some recreations, there are also some actual props from The Mummy and The Phantom of the Opera on display. Unfortunately, the UHU campus is also a canonically haunted hellmouth. Villains from movies like the Grabber from The Black Phone and misunderstood M3GAN have been known to prowl the halls. Even without the Resident Evil Takeover, this space is worth it for fans of classic horror to modern horror. 

Resident Evil takes immersion a step further by having the Raccoon City police welcome you upon entry. They give you a task- they need your help taming the infected, and at this point they'll settle for you.

Welcome to Racoon City…

The main quest cleverly uses spaces at UHU that were previously reserved for private events. A hallway opens up to an outdoor space where infected prowl through red, blue, and green herbs. An empty hall now houses a station of the Raccoon City Police Department, complete with a lackluster sign saying "Welcome Leon". The tasks in the missions feel like traditional Resident Evil puzzles- your solution is never too far away from you, and you do have to tinker until you find your way through. The flashbacks to opening a box, turning it over, and inspecting it came up a lot during the story mission. While I certainly don't want to give any spoilers, there is a specific mission to find the right key that immediately felt like true fan service. 

Infected on the loose!

The story mission concludes with a prize (as it should), but the fun doesn't stop there. To really hundo the experience, you have to sit in on the STARS show. Jill Valentine, Chris Redfield, Leon Kennedy, and Ada Wong are all live characters that interact with each other and with guests throughout. The stage in the middle of the UHU campus brings them together every hour or so, where they fight infected, most notably Nemesis. 

Nemesis looms…

Yes, there's a minigun.

After the shows, the story, and evading the roaming infected, the best way to cool off and count your easter eggs is at the bar. There is an Umbrella Corporation Cafe that serves exclusive Resident Evil-inspired drinks and delights. My favorites were the T-Virus Trio, a set of three glowing jello shots served in syringes via a briefcase brought to you by an Umbrella Corporation scientist. The scientists were very nervous; they weren't supposed to be sharing the T-Virus, let alone serving it to tourists, but what happens in Raccoon City stays in Raccoon City. The Jill Sandwich was a nice nod to a silly line from the first game, and the Raccoon City Donut was a satisfying jelly-filled way to end the day.

Which do you choose?

The largest missed opportunity, which perhaps will get patched in updated entries, is that there was no Resident Evil merch for sale. As a minor spoiler, the prize you get for completing the story mission is a coupon to the UHU gift shop, but their stock is all about the Universal horror mascots. I would have loved some Resident Evil merch, and I overheard another guest asking about Resident Evil swag. 

Licker at large…

Lastly, this activation focuses mainly on the first three Resident Evil games. You're not going to see Lady Dimitrescu anywhere. You will see the core Resident Evil heroes, infected, lickers, and, like I mentioned, our boy Nemesis, but that's about it. This was a labor of love for the hardcore old-school "save by typewriter" crowd. 

The Resident Evil takeover at UHU is a unique experience for fans that can only be found in Las Vegas, and as of now, only through the end of September 2026. Thankfully, the experience is accessible for any ticketed guest- there are no additional add-ons to buy to experience Raccoon City. This is absolutely worth it and, surprisingly, on the tamer end of the scares at UHU. The 'Scarecrow: The Reaping' house is infinitely more scary than Nemesis has ever been. If you can make it out, do not miss this experience, especially if you're a fan of the classic Resident Evil games. Just bring your own RPD swag- there's none to pick up while you're here.

Book tickets at https://www.universalhorrorunleashed.com