Haunted Chocolatier is still shrouded in secrecy, much to the chagrin of many Stardew Valley fans. ConcernedApe’s next major project definitely seems to borrow heavily from his seminal debut, though exactly how similar Haunted Chocolatier will be to Stardew Valley remains to be seen. For now, it looks like it could be something of a radical departure, despite the clear parallels in presentation, tone, and the like.
A distinction that fans can probably bet on is signaled by Haunted Chocolatier‘s very title: ConcernedApe’s upcoming game will be about making and selling chocolate, rather than raising crops and livestock like in Stardew Valley. This premise virtually assures that the moment-to-moment gameplay of Chocolatier will be different from that of its predecessor, since the goal will presumably be to buttress a customer-facing chocolate shop and create a robust chocolate-crafting process; it won’t be about making a vast, efficient, and constantly expanding farm.
Related
Haunted Chocolatier May Have a Problem with its Version of Stardew Valley’s Foraging
Haunted Chocolatier must separate itself from Stardew Valley and a new take on foraging could be one of the best ways to go about it.
Haunted Chocolatier May Not Have the User-Generated-Content Potential of Stardew Valley
Stardew Valley’s Premise Allows for a Wide Range of Farms; Haunted Chocolatier Might Not Share that Strength
Anyone with even a passing familiarity with Stardew Valley can attest to the ambition and passion of its fanbase: one look at the Stardew Valley subreddit is proof enough of the community’s potential for sharing unique and stunning in-game creations. This mostly comes down to the freeform nature of Stardew Valley‘s base-building: players can put structures, crops, and animal shelters wherever they please, leading to a number of ingenious, quirky, and efficient farm designs.
These flexible mechanics have obvious benefits for the player, but they also play a big role in Stardew‘s ongoing success, as the game remains visible and relevant thanks to the experimentation and creativity of its playerbase.
One can only hope that Haunted Chocolatier will feature similarly expressive systems, but its premise could make this easier said than done. After all, Haunted Chocolatier is ostensibly about creating specific, hand-crafted products, not nurturing crops or expanding a base of operations for the proliferation of several different business endeavors.
ConcernedApe has also gone on record about Haunted Chocolatier being more of an action-RPG than Stardew Valley, and this shifted focus away from base-building and other “cozy” staples could undermine the game’s potential for UGC. This would be something of a shame after so many years of compelling content coming from the Stardew community, but there are still ways that ConcernedApe could avoid such a “downgrade.”
How Haunted Chocolatier Could Feature Stardew-Level Customization
Haunted Chocolatier may not feature farming like its predecessor, but it could still fling open the doors to customization in other ways. For instance, maybe chocolate-making could be augmented by certain machinery or accessories, which would need to be organized and connected in specific ways, not unlike a game like Factorio.
This puzzle-like customization would be similar to what’s on offer in Stardew Valley, but more robust, complex, and with a higher skill ceiling—all factors that give it potential for UGC and broader community involvement. Another avenue for player expression could be the customer-facing portion of the game, which has been hinted at in Haunted Chocolatier‘s sparse promotional materials.
If players have full control over the layout, presentation, and structure of their in-game shops, then such locations could be the de facto replacement for Stardew Valley‘s farms, at least when it comes to UGC and word-of-mouth marketing. Naturally, there are still several aspects of Haunted Chocolatier, such as its overall tone and gameplay loop, that could impact its approach to customization, so as always, fans will have to wait and see.
