The Eagle’s Tale staffers collaborate to review an assortment of Halloween-themed candies to find the perfect treat for you and your friends or perhaps a trick to avoid this spooky season.

Kathy Kaye’s Halloween Popcorn Balls: Although sufficiently sweet–maybe even too sweet–there is no denying the treat is difficult to eat and enjoy without creating a sticky mess. In addition to this, the popcorn ball is too large to be easily eaten. The ball is not composed well and crumbles, and those expecting a salty treat should be warned of the sweetness.  Rating: B- based on awkward size and unexpected sweet factor

Sour Punch Monster Mix: Some staffers enjoy the sour sugar candy, despite finding the taste a bit overwhelming. Other staffers find the candy to taste slightly bitter but strangely sulfuric and unusually similar to a sour, out-of-date tangerine. In fact, the sour taste overwhelms any hint of other tastes until one swallows and gets another mediocre flavor perhaps Monster Melon, Bone-Chilling Berry or Oozing Orange. However, the twists are great for those who love sour candy and want something different this Halloween season. Rating: C+ unless you really love sour chewy candy then B

Trolli Sour Bites: While the twists are recommended for sour candy lovers, the Sour Bites fall short when it comes to flavor. The entire staff agrees our expectations of the candy are not met. The bitterness of the fruity flavors overpowers the sour taste of the candy. Staff members note these small candy balls are chalky and monochrome and do not resemble the brightly-colored candies depicted on the box. The below average  flavor mixed with the weird texture make the bites easy to pass on. Rating: F, do not waste your taste buds, Trolli makes better options

Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups Franken-Cup: Any differences with this candy are minor. Many staff members report these taste exactly like a normal Reese’s, but green colored. Other members say the Franken-Cup is creamier than a normal Reese’s, resulting in an uncomplimentary texture between the chocolate and the peanut butter. Overall, there is not much difference between the Franken-Cup and a normal Reese’s peanut butter cup, but it is still a delicious treat for October. Rating: B+ based on lack of wow-factor

Reese’s Peanut Butter Ghosts: The overall staff favorite, yet many are still disappointed, as the white chocolate layer on the outside is creamier than a normal Reese’s cup, which results in a different texture. The shape of the candy did not look exactly look like a ghost–but then again, what are ghosts supposed to look like? Despite complaints against texture, this candy ranks at the top for the staff as a whole. Rating: A- because other Reese’s holiday peanut butter cups are still better

 Twix Cookies and Cream: The staff sets out to enjoy this candy with high expectations for a delicious balance between Oreo cookies and Twix, but are quickly disappointed. The chocolate overpowers the essentially non-existent ‘cookies and cream’ filling, if not for the dry taste and texture. Although a generally enjoyable candy, original Twix is the route to go this Halloween. Rating: F for failing to balance two classics

Zombie Skittles: Saving the worst for last, the staff tries the new candy similar to Jelly Belly Bamboozled. Zombie Skittles have surprise ‘rotten zombie’ skittles in every package. The staff thinks while the idea is creative, it is executed poorly. All the flavors are bland and overly fruity, and it is hard to tell whether or not you have eaten the ‘rotten zombie’. The key difference, the staff notes, is the dreadful rotten zombie Skittle simultaneously fills your nose with the smell of sulfur and your mouth with an overly-sweet, yet not-sweet-enough taste. The staff concludes that Zombie Skittles should not be on anyone’s Halloween candy list. Rating: D, fun to pull a prank or try once but nothing jaw-dropping

Although some of the candy is fairly enjoyable, the staff concludes the classic sweets that have been enjoyed for decades are preferable to this selection of Halloween-themed treats. With more thought, morphing the original candy into something deliciously different and fitting for the holiday could have been a masterpiece, but the execution fell short. This year, when shopping for sweets, the staff recommends playing it safe and sticking with the original candy.