Summary
Stardew Valleyis often credited with revitalizing the life sim genre, leading to a boom in similar titles. With developer ConcernedApe working on a new game,Haunted Chocolatier, there is a chance for the solo dev to addressStardew Valley’s shortcomings instead of repeating them.
The boom in life and farming sim games began shortly after the success ofStardew Valley, leading to plenty of new takes on the familiar formula. The simple lifestyle of a small town farmer appealed to players and inspired creators to experiment with the established formula of farming sims. This inspired a new generation of cozy games that included mechanics and jobs unlike what players were used to. Now, it seems the inspiration has come full circle, as ConcernedApe’s next game,Haunted Chocolatier, will focus on the city life of a budding chocolatier and feature shop management elements and a focus on combat. With a beloved developer at the wheel,Haunted Chocolatieralready has an advantage over other games, but ConcernedApe needs to address the lack of replayability present inStardew Valleyin order forHaunted Chocolatierto succeed.
It’s undeniable thatStardew Valleyis one of the greatest success stories in the history of indie game development. As a solo developer working on their first game, ConcernedApe managed to beat the odds by not only creating an excellent title, but also by making it a commercial success. However, success doesn’t mean that the game can’t be improved upon. This is something that even ConcernedApe recognized, leading to the addition of several updates throughout the years. Adding new areas, romance options, anda must-have skill progression systemmade the game even better than it was at launch. But even with all of these additions,Stardew Valleystill lacks replay value after a certain point.
The player’s initial goal in the game is simply to make their farm a success. As they explore the town, meet the residents, and find new locations, they are soon tasked with various quests, such as rebuilding the community center. The romance aspect of the game has also become a standout inclusion. But after the player has completed the quests, built their farm, and married their chosen villager, they’re left with little more to do. At this point, players often simply start a new playthrough, but that doesn’t have to be the only way forward. If ConcernedApe were to embrace the idea of post-game content, such asfollowing the player’s children to a new farm, or further exploring changing areas of the map, it would add a replay option that the game is sorely missing.
How Haunted Chocolatier can add Replayability to the Formula
In order forHaunted Chocolatierto outdo its predecessor, the replayability issue has to be addressed. The game looks promising with its expanded combat options and management mechanics, but even those things won’t be enough to keep players invested if they have no long-term goals. Some fans have expressed interest inHaunted Chocolatierembracing an expanded story mode. Perhaps this mode would be optional, or only unlock after a certain number of in-game days. This way, players could learn the basics and appreciate the core gameplay loop for as long as they like before beginning a large quest. But that quest would always be there for them if they need more reason to keep playing.
Another fan suggestion is theinclusion of random events inHaunted Chocolatier.Stardew Valleyhas a few of these, such as the appearance of Krobus for the first time, but most of them are relegated to Easter eggs that don’t impact gameplay. IfHaunted Chocolatierhas random encounters in combat or surprise interactions and challenges in their store, it would keep players guessing about what’s coming next. There would always be a reason to play that one extra day just to see what it brings for the characters. This type of replay value is one of the few things missing fromStardew Valley, so ifHaunted Chocolatierfixes that problem, it could be another slam dunk for ConcernedApe.
Haunted Chocolatier
WHERE TO PLAY
Haunted Chocolatier is an upcoming adventure game from Stardew Valley creator ConcernedApe (Eric Barone). The game is currently set to feature a lush explorable world, chocolate making and cooking, a spooky theme, and more. There is currently no release date or time period for the game.
