Highlights
- Haunted Chocolatier needs to avoid falling short in comparison to Stardew Valley by offering a similarly immersive simulation experience for players running their own business. On the surface, it seems like Stardew will offer more to do since players can run any type of farm that they wish.
- The chocolate shop in Haunted Chocolatier may not have the same versatility as Stardew Valley's farm, but the game could introduce creative ways to add more flavor, such as shop upgrades and decorations.
- Despite its seemingly limited premise, Haunted Chocolatier has the potential to offer more possibilities and embrace the versatility of Stardew Valley, especially with its supernatural element implied in the title.
Haunted Chocolatier aims for a similar simulation experience as Stardew Valley, but it could have one key disadvantage compared to its predecessor. Both games let players run their own businesses, with Stardew Valley giving them a farm while Haunted Chocolatier obviously features a chocolate shop. Aside from that, each game offers players a whole world to explore, filled with people to talk to and monsters to fight. At the end of the day though, the core of the game comes back to the farm or shop. In that sense, Haunted Chocolatier needs to avoid falling short.
If there is one connection between Haunted Chocolatier and Stardew Valley, it's their respective premises. In each game, the player is a newcomer to a small community, and they are tasked with building up their new life. Since they are effectively starting from scratch, barring the few materials that they have at the game's start, the way that they build their business is effectively up to the player. As for the rest of the protagonist's life, Stardew Valley included activities such as fishing, the mines, and socialization when the player was away from the farm, and Haunted Chocolatier will likely demand a similar balance.
How the Haunted Chocolatier Combat System Differs From Stardew Valley
Haunted Chocolatier's combat system may revolve around a core mechanic that rewards patient players, but will allow for more aggressive gameplay.
Haunted Chocolatier's Chocolate Shop Needs Options Similar to Stardew Valley's Farm
There are a wide variety of ways for players to design farms in Stardew Valley, both in terms of form and function. Among the possibilities that were available to Stardew Valley's farms are:
- Growing crops to sell
- Raising animals
- Producing artisan goods
- Maintaining fish ponds
Once the player has the means to pursue these endeavors, there's nothing stopping them from focusing as much or as little on each aspect as they want. A player could mix a little bit of everything, or turn their farm into a dedicated ranch or winery if they wish. This level of versatility adds to Stardew Valley's appeal.
For all the variety that Stardew Valley's farms had, it may be hard to repeat while managing a shop in Haunted Chocolatier. While Stardew Valley let players produce a myriad of goods from their farms, Haunted Chocolatier doesn't look to have the same luxury. The player will be running a shop no matter what, and if the title is any indication, the shop will always be a confectionery, specifically one focused on chocolate. While the player will be making their own products, the shop will still have the same focus. As a result, Haunted Chocolatier will need to find other methods to add more flavor.
There are a few ways that the chocolate shop could be approached creatively. One way would be a Haunted Chocolatier equivalent to Stardew Valley's farm expansions. The game could give players the ability to upgrade their shop with new features. For example, the player could add a cafe where they can brew coffees and teas, both to sell to customers as well as drink themselves for various benefits. The player could also have the chance to get decorations that can affect the shop's traits in some way, similar to Moonlighter. Haunted Chocolatier's shop may have a set focus, but there's still room for improvisation.
While Stardew Valley let players produce a myriad of goods from their farms, Haunted Chocolatier doesn't look to have the same luxury.
Even though Haunted Chocolatier's premise seems more limited than Stardew Valley's, that doesn't have to ring true in its execution. With so many possibilities, Haunted Chocolatier shouldn't limit itself to simply supplying what the title states. The player could build more than a simple dessert shop, especially with the supernatural element already implied by the title and shown in screenshots. What the game needs to do is embrace the versatility of Stardew Valley's farm in its own way. If it does, then Haunted Chocolatier could have more possibilities than it seems at first glance.
Haunted Chocolatier
Haunted Chocolatier is an upcoming adventure game from Stardew Valley creator ConcernedApe (Eric Barone). The game is currently set to feature a lush explorable world, chocolate making and cooking, a spooky theme, and more. There is currently no release date or time period for the game.
