With the continued success of 2016's Stardew Valley, fans were curious as to where the developer would go next. ConcernedApe changed how many see solo-developed projects, and with the announcement of Haunted Chocolatier in October 2021, there is further hope that more innovation is on the way. However, Stardew Valley has so many components that have the potential to make the jump to the developer's next title, and ditching them in favor of something entirely new would be a shame.
Stardew Valley is a game that, despite wielding pixel aesthetics and a simplistic yet effective story, has tons of content that can provide dozens of hours of fun. It's clear from the promotional material that Haunted Chocolatier is inspired by the former with its graphics, but as Stardew Valley is far more than initially meets the eye, it's clear that there are many more mechanics and quirks it can offer the next project. Breaking out of the shadow of ConcernedApe's first game will be tough, so leaning into some of its best features could be the key to success when Haunted Chocolatier finally hits digital storefronts.
Stardew Valley's Misfit Residents
There are plenty of games in the role-playing adventure genre that have bland NPCs that don't offer much in the way of interesting conversations, but Stardew Valley is completely different. From the surprisingly emotional depth of Shane to the humble, delightfully twee Penny, the setting of Stardew Valley is one that is littered with exceptional side characters who all do well to make Pelican Town feel alive. Haunted Chocolatier has the player assume the role of a chocolate shop owner, and while this offers a different perspective to an honest farmer, it's vital that the NPCs available feel like fully-realized personalities rather than just potential customers.
Not only does Stardew Valley have a cast of fantastic human characters, but it's also not afraid to lean into the supernatural with plenty of creative races, giving the land so much more flavor. Haunted Chocolatier will surely expand on this, as the trailers have shown that it may push further into the weirdness. This would be a great move to further distance itself from its farming counterpart while also using one of the very features that make it so great.
Home (or Chocolate Factory) Improvements
The main draw of Stardew Valley to new fans was undoubtedly its farming elements. Tending to the homestead is at the heart of its gameplay loop for the vast majority of players, and while it's been confirmed that Haunted Chocolatier will be more combat-heavy than its predecessor, it should absolutely bring back the ability to customize and upgrade the players' base.
It gives any game a clear sense of progression. Being able to see the changes that have been made since the beginning of the game does wonders for making players feel like they've accomplished something. While the emphasis may be on other elements of the game, this is a feature that would be a welcome addition and one that will make even the lengthiest of play sessions feel like a productive afternoon.
Stardew Valley's Romantic Angle
Like a lot of RPGs, Stardew Valley has romance mechanics that allow players to find love in Pelican Town. Twelve available bachelors and bachelorettes give the game so much variety in choice, and the events that occur as friendships grow make for some of the game's best, and most touching moments. There are other more ambitious and high-budget franchises like Mass Effect and Fire Emblem that don't handle romance anywhere near as well as Stardew Valley does, and with Haunted Chocolatier likely showcasing a more eclectic cast of characters, romance could be a great way to get players to interact with them.
Raising crops, foraging for items, and living off the fat of the land is what many players expect of Stardew Valley, but the reason it set itself apart from the likes of Harvest Moon was its lovable town. Stardew Valley presents many of its characters in a morally gray way, and this really makes it feel more genuine and alive. It effortlessly mimics how people are in real life, making the romance options feel like they have far more weight. This is easily one of the game's best features, so replicating it would be a no-brainer.
Haunted Chocolatier is a game that is still being formed, so even those close to its development aren't certain what it will become. It differs from Stardew Valley in a lot of key ways, but if Haunted Chocolatier retains much of what made it popular, it would have a great chance at success when it releases in the (hopefully not too distant) future.
Haunted Chocolatier is currently in development.