Fans of the critically acclaimed farming simulator game Stardew Valley should get their chef's hat ready. Developer Eric "ConcernedApe" Barone has been hard at work creating his upcoming game Haunted Chocolatier, a life simulator that puts players in the shoes of a chocolatier with a bit of a supernatural situation on their hands. While the game is still in the early development phase, it's known that the game will be centered on collecting rare ingredients and combining them to make chocolate. That chocolate can then be sold to townspeople, creating a gameplay loop that might need to be more varied for some players.
ConcernedApe has also provided updates on other aspects of the game, letting gamers know that the upcoming title will feature more sophisticated combat inspired by Diablo 2. It will also feature a storyline that appears to be moodier than Stardew Valley's, opening up the possibility of potential horror elements. While Haunted Chocolatier has incorporated some unique elements, the core gameplay loop has been used by thousands of games over the years and might be seen as stale and unoriginal to players who are used to Stardew Valley's open-ended gameplay. Of course, there is quite a bit that the game can do to make the loop feel new.
Why The "Gather, Craft, Sell" Gameplay Loop Could Hurt Haunted Chocolatier
The "gather, craft, sell" gameplay loop has been around for decades and is a commonly used mechanic in game design because it can create a highly addictive and satisfying experience. The gameplay loop has been used so often recently that players could find it in any game with crafting mechanics. Skyrim is a prevalent example, as the Dragonborn can craft an incredible number of objects that can then be sold for a profit, a mechanic that players often use as a side hustle when they're not saving Tamriel from the Dragon Crisis.
While the gameplay loop is a fixture in most modern RPGs, there are some drawbacks to making the mechanic the foundation of a game. For instance, RPGs like Potion Permit or My Time at Portia utilize the "gather, craft, sell" gameplay loop as the game's main feature - tasking players with gathering ingredients or materials and creating potions or constructs that are then sold or exchanged. While these games are unique in premise, the gameplay quickly becomes repetitive because nothing changes. The "gather ingredients and turn them into chocolate" loop in Haunted Chocolatier has the potential to share these same issues and would benefit from switching things up and surprising players.
How Haunted Chocolatier Can Make Its Core Gameplay Loop Feel Unique
Haunted Chocolatier can avoid falling into the trap of stale and repetitive gameplay by leaning into what makes the game uniquely compelling for players. For example, the game could utilize its supernatural elements to create varied styles of combat, forcing the player to adapt their strategies to gather materials as the game goes on. The game should also look to try something new with its crafting system by leaning into gameplay loops that are more commonly seen in cooking games. In fact, Haunted Chocolatier could take inspiration from the culinary mini-games in Cooking Mama, requiring the player to make and build each part of the chocolate treat they're creating.
Haunted Chocolatier is similar to Moonlighter, allowing players to sell their goods in a simulated storefront. The game could expand on this economy by creating a diverse and surprising set of procedurally generated events that could affect sales. While including a rival craftsman has been done in previous games, it would be awesome to give players the ability to build their business from the ground up. This could involve building ever-evolving storefronts, hiring employees, building new locations, or even traveling to other places to have your chocolate sold in those areas. The possibilities are limitless.
Haunted Chocolatier is currently in development.