Eric "ConcernedApe" Barone is the sole developer behind the hit indie game Stardew Valley. Not too long ago, he teased that a new game was in development via Twitter, and fans couldn't cease immediate speculation. Yesterday, the developer suddenly announced the new title, Haunted Chocolatier, which looks very reminiscent of his first game. It's not yet been officially revealed whether it takes place in the same world as Stardew Valley, but the developer previously hinted that this is the case. Regardless, it'll pull several elements from that direction, meaning fans should be excited.
Instead of being a farming simulator, Haunted Chocolatier will be a shop management game, so it'll still be knees-deep in the lifestyle sim genre. However, Based on ConcernedApe's impressive trailer, the game will utilize more RPG and magical elements than its predecessor did, and that's a good thing. While not Stardew Valley's overarching style, there were many RPG and story elements that it did well and helped solidify its place as possibly the best farming sim out there. But now, Haunted Chocolatier not only builds on ConcernedApe's expertise, but it's also something of uncharted territory.
Stardew Valley's RPG and Magic
In terms of combat, it started out quite scarce in Stardew Valley, but over time it became a bigger part of the game. Mining has long been a part of the farming sim tradition, but Stardew Valley added to it by introducing combat, which was never before seen in the genre—except for the Rune Factory series, which is half RPG. Stardew's system, however, is simple yet important to gameplay. Players must participate in combat unless they want to miss out on major quests like finishing the Community Center or traversing Ginger Island. To get the most out of the game, it's required, but it's also easy enough that anyone can do it.
It looks like combat will be more prominent in Haunted Chocolatier where players assume the role of a chocolate-making shopkeep. But it's not as simple as mixing cocao and sugar together in a pot. The chocolate shop is inside a haunted castle, and from there, players can jump into a strange world filled with monsters and magical creatures to slay and collect ingredients. This would mean that combat is likely quite important, and if so, its mechanics could be broader than previously seen. Perhaps armor, health, and stats will play a bigger role this time around. Maybe Barone will implement skill trees instead of basic levels.
It's interesting that ConcernedApe's next game is in a spooky setting because Stardew Valley also exhibited many subtle horror elements. Sure, players could raise a happy family of four with their one true love and live happily ever after while making millions from pig truffles and nicely-aged wine. On the other hand, they can also abandon their children by turning them into doves, divorce their spouse and wipe their memories, and invite the sewer monster Krobus to move in instead. However, most players may not know they can do that based on Stardew's unassuming personalities and colorful pixels.
But instead of being secrets for players to discover, Haunted Chocolatier will put the scary and RPG elements on the forefront, which is exciting considering how well-received they were with Stardew Valley.
How Stardew Valley Influences Haunted Chocolatier
If Stardew Valley proved anything, it's that Eric Barone was able to build on genre standards and make something unique. Haunted Chocolatier will be no different. It's another lifestyle sim that requires money management, so Barone is transferring much of the expertise that he learned, not just in this way but many other gameplay and design elements as well, over to his new game. How other details such as dating, daily stamina, and time management will surface cannot be determined as of yet, and the two games could be quite different in reality. But there's plenty that Barone has established through Stardew Valley that paves the way for a unique and haunted shop manager and cooking sim.
Haunted Chocolatier is currently in development.