When ConcernedApe's Haunted Chocolatier was announced towards the end of 2021, players were excited to see the one-man development team's follow-up to the beloved farming simulator from 2016. Stardew Valley, ConcernedApe's previous game, took the gaming community by storm when it was released and became an internet sensation despite its modest beginnings. Haunted Chocolatier looks just as promising as its predecessor and could be another strong addition to the indie game market.
Although Haunted Chocolatier was only confirmed a few months back, there are a few details that have surfaced to give players an idea of what the game might entail. With no indication of when Haunted Chocolatier may be released, the screenshots, snippets, and intermittent comments from ConcernedApe have been all that gamers can go off when it comes to guessing what the game will look like. For those looking for additional updates, ConcernedApe's Haunted Chocolatier website has a blog with occasional posts updating fans on the game's development, but these are fairly sporadic. For now, the best way to get an idea of what the game will be like is to look at the official screenshots.
Details Released About Haunted Chocolatier So Far
As one of the most popular indie games in the last decade, Stardew Valley has given Haunted Chocolatier very large shoes to fill. Luckily it seems that ConcernedApe is keeping a lot of the first game's core mechanics whilst still updating aspects to make Haunted Chocolatier feel fresh and original. While Stardew Valley had more of a bucolic focus, with players learning to live off the land amongst a rural community, ConcernedApe has said that Haunted Chocolatier will have a more fantastical and magical feel. With ghosts and haunted castles, the upcoming game will certainly be very different from the humbler charms of Stardew Valley.
In a similar gameplay loop of gathering supplies and developing the player's relationships within the community, Haunted Chocolatier will see gamers looking for ingredients, making chocolate, and running a chocolate shop. ConcernedApe has stated that while Stardew Valley was slightly more constrained by the expectations of its genre, Haunted Chocolatier will be more “unleashed” – a slightly mysterious statement that hints at exciting things for the new game. The art style may be the same and some of the horror and RPG elements are similar to Stardew Valley, but it's clear Haunted Chocolatier is very much going to be its own game.
There will be more of an action-RPG focus for Haunted Chocolatier, with more developed combat than its predecessor. The combat is apparently being built from the ground up so that ConcernedApe can tweak the monster-slaying formula established in Stardew Valley, offering players the ability to carry a shield as well. With a brand new setting and the chance for players to take over a haunted castle and set up their own chocolate shop, there seems like there will be plenty to do in Haunted Chocolatier.
Glimpses Of The Game Throughout 2021
In addition to more recent screenshots of Haunted Chocolatier revealed at the start of this year, ConcernedApe released a number of screenshots throughout 2021 to give players a glimpse of the game. From new locations to characters, the screenshots offer a brief look at what the 16-bit world of Haunted Chocolatier will look like.
The snowy location of the main town offers a different aesthetic to Stardew Valley and fits in more with the 'moon' aesthetic that ConcernedApe said would be the focus of Haunted Chocolatier over the 'sun' inspiration of the previous game. With plenty of other businesses like a bakery and lots of characters populating the town, it will be fun to explore the new environment.
A Helping Hand
It seems the budding chocolatier won't be the only resident in the haunted castle, as the premises will be home to some ghostly helpers that will aid the player in running their shop and crafting their chocolatey creations in the food laboratory. Not only will this hopefully make running a successful business in Haunted Chocolatier easier, but it also adds some intriguingly spooky aspects to the game.
Getting To Know The Neighbors
Just as with Stardew Valley, Haunted Chocolatier will have a bustling town for players to explore, with a whole host of new neighbors to befriend.
Kooky Characters
With other business owners and a plethora of unique characters to meet, Haunted Chocolatier will offer more dialogue options to choose from than Stardew Valley when players interact with NPCs.
The Best Chocolate Shop In Town
Players will be taking over the castle and will set up their own chocolate shop in Haunted Chocolatier, but although other details are sparse, there is bound to be a lot more to the core mechanics than this simple premise - much like the additional elements in Stardew Valley.
It's All In The Recipe
Instead of an agricultural focus, the main aim of Haunted Chocolatier is to run a successful chocolate shop, including gathering ingredients to create the tastiest treats.
A Creepy Castle To Explore
The screenshots revealed of Haunted Chocolatier so far definitely portray a creepier and more haunting aesthetic – an intriguing design choice that will have interesting implications for the story.
Magical Locations
Within the haunted castle, there is some kind of magical portal that transports players into a lush green land where they presumably collect the majority of ingredients needed for their chocolate creations.
Haunted Chocolatier is currently in development.