While very little is known about the Stardew Valley developer ConcernedApe's new game Haunted Chocolatier, fans do know that the game will be very different from its predecessor. Instead of putting gamers in the shoes of novice farmers, players will be tasked with building a thriving chocolate business out of their haunted mansion. Not only is the atmosphere of the game notably moodier - in keeping with the "haunted" theme - but the game will have more complex combat mechanics, and hopefully boss battles inspired by popular games like Hades and Cult of the Lamb.
In fact, Eric "ConcernedApe" Barone has expressed that he is planning on including a more sophisticated system for stats and loot-based progression compared to Stardew Valley, and that combat will have a more prominent role in the game. Early development screenshots have provided fans with some insight into what combat will look like, facing off against a variety of different enemies in dynamic, themed environments. There is yet to be updates on if the game will contain mini or major boss battles, but it would greatly benefit from the level of strategy and challenge that would be involved.
Why Haunted Chocolatier Should Include Boss Battles
While Stardew Valley featured combat that was essential to the game, the mechanics seem to have been streamlined for ease of play, as combat isn't the main focus of the game. According to ConcernedApe, the upcoming game will feature a system of stats and character leveling that makes Haunted Chocolatier similar to Diablo 2, which is known for its legendary boss fights. Haunted Chocolatier could take inspiration from rogue-lite games that have streamlined mechanics and an irresistible combat-based gameplay loop that shines through boss battles.
Given that the objective of combat is to procure ingredients from across the game's world, boss battles would fit seamlessly as dungeon checkpoints, as in Cult of the Lamb. For instance, early gameplay gives players insight into a bee-themed environment where players are fighting worker bees. It would only be prudent to include a "queen-bee" boss battle where players would really have to strategize and prepare. The same mechanic could be used for other ingredients, like fighting a bear for berries, fighting any manner of supernatural creatures in the mansion, or even fighting other NPCs depending on how hard the game leans into its horror elements. Although Cult of the Lamb's first major update is on the way, the base game is filled with possible inspirations for Haunted Chocolatier.
How Hades and Cult of the Lamb Could Inspire Legendary Boss Battles
The incredible growth of indie game design - driven by ConcernedApe's sophisticated, inspired work - has opened the doors for more games to include combat that anyone can play. Hades has an addictive gameplay loop that is easy to approach and difficult to master. Hopefully, Haunted Chocolatier can emulate the dynamism of Hades' combat, turning it into more of a practiced dance compared to the button mashing seen in previous games. Haunted Chocolatier could also make use of procedurally generated combat in between major boss battles, allowing players to progress and master combat without it ever going stale. This technique also makes the checkpoint-based bosses even more exciting.
While very little is known about how the combat mechanics will work in the upcoming new ConcernedApe game, fans do know that it will introduce shields and combat-based stats. Cult of the Lamb is a great example of a game that explores character progression differently, requiring players to fulfill certain tasks or hit certain milestones instead of being fully focused on stats. Haunted Chocolatier could emulate the loot-progression system in the game, making combat a vital part of progression while incentivizing players to make it to the end of dungeons. For example, boss battles could unlock new recipes, reward rare ingredients, or even give the player-themed armor and equipment.
Haunted Chocolatier is currently in development.