Summary
Haunted Chocolatieris the next solo-developed game from ConerncedApe, and the excitement about the project continues to grow. DespiteHaunted Chocolatier’s slow production, theStardew Valleycreator seems to be working diligently to bring a new project to life. The setting and characters may change inHaunted Chocolatier, but the gameplay and aesthetic ofStardew Valleyappear to remain the same.
For the most part,ConcernedApe has been relatively quiet aboutHaunted Chocolatier, but there are some things that can be assumed about the game. Some of the best parts ofStardew Valley’s gameplay loop will likely make a comeback. However, there are also aspects of the indie hit that can be improved upon. When it comes to raising kids inStardew Valley,Haunted Chocolatierhas plenty of room to improve the mechanic.
Raising Kids in Stardew Valley Needs Some Serious Work
A Feature Full of Potential That Never Reaches the Right Heights
ForStardew Valleyto be a life simulator, raising kids in the game can be pretty useless. One of the few perks of having kids inStardew Valleyis that it helps players gain achievements. Other than that, there isn’t much reason to venture down that road. It seems likechild-rearing inStardew Valleymay have had more of a role during production, but a lot of the feature may have ultimately ended up on the cutting room floor.
Once a player’s characters have children with their in-game partner, the kids don’t grow past the toddler stage. Even more frustrating, they kind of just hang around from there on out. They don’t serve any use. Whether it is chopping trees, watering crops, or gathering food, kids do absolutely nothing inStardew Valley.Having kids inStardew Valleyis lackluster when it would be far more rewarding to have to take care of them like many other life simulation games. Even withStardew Valleyfocusing more on being a farming simulator, it’s surprising that the kids don’t really help on the farm, either.
Of course, ConcernedApe is simply one person, so crafting a complex child-rearing mechanic may have proven to be too difficult in the long run. That is completely understandable, but hopefully,Haunted Chocolatiercan build upon a featurethat has so much potential. Instead of just having kids in order to receive achievements,Haunted Chocolatiercould make a character’s in-game children a major help in the candy factory. The higher the demand for chocolate and presumably other candy gets, the more hands that will be needed. Of course, there are moral questions to be considered with having children just to use as labor, but it’s a realistic scenario that warrants a more complicated kid AI.
Haunted Chocolatier Continuing Stardew Valley’s Impressive Legacy
After such incredible success, ConcernedApe’s second game is an exciting prospect, but it also has a lot to live up to. There arehigh expectations forHaunted Chocolatier, which is to be expected after such a strong start withStardew Valley. However, the follow-up sticking to the basics of its predecessor is a promising sign. Keeping the charm of the game that started it all is important, but it will also be compelling to see what features and mechanics ConcernedApe decides to improve in order to attempt to makeHaunted Chocolatieran even better experience.
Asthe wait forHaunted Chocolatiercontinues, only time will tell how the game will choose to differ fromStardew Valley. Until then, there is plenty to explore and enjoy in ConcernedApe’s first hit. The desire to have more interactive kids is a small criticism in the grand scheme of what else the title has to offer, but it could really become a subtle game changer.
