Summary
Few games have had a similar trajectory asHaunted Chocolatier. Coming fromthe sole developer ofStardew Valley, the surprise success of its predecessor has meant that there is a huge amount of pressure on ConcernedApe after just one game. However, all signs are pointing to a repeat of the critical and commercial acclaim, as the next title was revealed with some promising features and interesting new ideas.
Haunted Chocolatierlooks similar in style toStardew Valleybut likely won’t be a copy of its core mechanics and progression loop, which means the latter still has sufficient breathing room to continue to flourish as it has over the last eight years. The combat-heavy focus ofHaunted Chocolatieris a huge opportunity for ConcernedApe’s first game to continue building on its already amazing foundations.
Haunted Chocolatier Should Compliment, Not Replace Stardew Valley
Stardew Valleymay have released in 2016, but it has seen an impressive number of updates in the years that have followed. Many of which have included substantial new features and improvements, showing the developer’s willingness to support the product as it continues to gain traction among both seasoned and casual gamers. It has capitalized on its full potential, and in doing so, has become one of the few games that gets more rewarding the higher the hour-count. To simplycut this progression off and switch all attention toHaunted Chocolatierwould be a shame, as the pair could easily compliment each other with their approach.
As confirmed by ConcernedApe,Haunted Chocolatierwill place a heavier emphasis on combat, and in doing so it will strive to set itself apart from what has come before, while also taking some cues (certainly with its visuals) fromStardew Valley. The differences could be highlighted furtherby continuing updates forStardew Valley’s ket areas of real strength, instead of trying to merge the two together using deliberately similar gameplay mechanics.
“Haunted Chocolatier has a greater focus on combat, so it needs to be very fun, satisfying, and engaging, while also appropriately fitting into the big picture. You can rest assured that I’m not “copying and pasting” Stardew’s combat. On the contrary, almost everything in Haunted Chocolatier, including the combat, is completely coded (and drawn) from scratch.” - Eric ‘ConcernedApe’ Barone
Haunted Chocolatier Could be ConcernedApe’s Combat Crucible
Stardew Valley’s battle mechanics are thin, and do little to challenge the player, but this feels like it’s by design. It’s not intended to be the main focus of the experience, and thus the gameplay is simplistic and easy to overcome, provided the player is conscious of their health and energy. Different weapon types and subtle stat buffs help to make it feel somewhat customizable, and certain farm types added in later updates specifically cater to those wanting to spend most of their time fighting off enemies, which makes the basic mechanics feel engaging, butHaunted Chocolatiercould be the game that really brings it together.
IfHaunted Chocolatierfeatures the higher complexity of combatthat some have wanted for a while, it would free upStardew Valleyto develop upon more of its core ideas. Farming, foraging, and socializing are the pillars of the game, and havingHaunted Chocolatiergo in one direction meansStardew Valleycan stretch its legs in the other. More characters, additional crops, and farming equipment would make the already great game even better, instead of trying to ‘fix’ the simple combat that is perfectly fine for what it sets out to do.
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.
