After the groundbreaking success of the farming simulator game Stardew Valley, developer ConcernedApe is working on another game that appears much spookier. The highly anticipated new game Haunted Chocolatier is still in development, and very little is known about the game outside its premise and some of the game mechanics involved. While there is much speculation about how the new ConcernedApe game might differ from its predecessor, Haunted Chocolatier should lean into the horror elements already in the game and push them further.
Based on an early gameplay video released by the developer, the premise of Haunted Chocolatier seems to be centered around the player taking up the role of the town chocolate maker tasked with finding rare ingredients, creating delicious treats, and selling them for a profit. The game's atmosphere is notably moodier and more gothic than Stardew Valley, especially with the addition of an ancient-looking castle and a snow-filled, dimly lit village. The game is already set up for a horror-filled thrill that twists the life simulator genre on its head.
How Haunted Chocolatier Is Set Up For Horror
Of course, even the name of the upcoming game has set up the project for darker themes. It appears that the Haunted Chocolatier name is connected to the friendly ghosts that seem to help the player make their chocolate, but it might also relate to other themes throughout the game. Developer Eric Barone has clarified that Haunted Chocolatier will tackle darker themes, including mystery elements concerning the chocolatier, the surrounding town, and the NPCs living there. The horror elements could even be found in the game's combat elements, as the project will be more focused on action-packed gameplay -- potentially with horror-fueled monsters.
One particularly compelling horror element emerges at the end of the Haunted Chocolatier early gameplay video. In the clip, a particularly ominous NPC named Nigel greets the player character in a way that feels oddly chilling, especially when the player character is suddenly surrounded by other NPCs, unable to leave. Combined with the odd presence of ghosts throughout the game, this short clip could hint at a more profound mystery about why the previous chocolatier left. There is also the profound possibility that NPCs like Nigel have a hidden agenda that the player character unknowingly walks straight into.
Stardew Valley Horror Mods Could Inspire Themes In Haunted Chocolatier
Stardew Valley has amassed an incredible community of fans who have rallied around the project, creating content like Stardew Valley: Expanded and making the game their own. ConcernedApe could take inspiration from the extensive collection of horror mods made for the farming simulation game. The "Ghost Town" mod is a particularly compelling example, creating an alternate Stardew Valley where the town's residents have suffered a mysterious and terrible demise. In the mod, the player character is the only person left alive, and the town's NPCs appear as spirits, their corpses left behind where they were slain.
The "Ghost Town" mod is an incredibly dark twist on the game, creating an atmosphere of grim isolation. While Haunted Chocolatier will probably not be gruesome, the game would benefit from making a similar sense of tension and intrigue. Given that Stardew Valley is an open-world game with areas to explore, it could be surmised that Haunted Chocolatier might have an even bigger world that showcases its horror elements. Anything from an in-game haunted house to a twisted forest would add depth to the game and higher stakes when foraging. While the game is still early in development, it will be a refreshing new take on the genre.
Haunted Chocolatier is currently in development.