Though Stardew Valley may be mistaken for a somewhat formulaic farming simulator with simple graphics and familiar progression, the reality is that it's far more in depth. It's a game that is clearly inspired by Harvest Moon and Animal Crossing, but develops upon them with light RPG elements and more things to do to ensure that players can extract dozens, perhaps hundreds of hours from the game without seeing everything. Because of its lofty legacy, anticipation for ConcernedApe's next game is higher than ever, and Haunted Chocolatier has the tough task of being familiar, but unique.
One of the stand-out inclusions in Stardew Valley compared to its contemporaries is its romance options, and how well they are developed. Games like Harvest Moon: Friends of Mineral Town have woo-able NPCs, but Stardew Valley gives them far more life and substance, allowing players to get far more invested in their chosen partner's dedicated character arc. However, the heart events that happen when specific criteria is met are too few and fleeting for the quality that they are, and Haunted Chocolatier can develop on the mechanic to help make it feel like an evolution of the developer's 2016 outing.
Heart Events are Special, But Short-Lived in Stardew Valley
Most of the time spent in Stardew Valley will be on the farm, deep in the mines, or on the banks of a lake, river, or sea while trying to catch the dozens of fish available. However, it's a life simulator almost as much as it is a farming game, so finding a partner to date, marry, and eventually have children with or divorce fun. The most substantial time spent with the aforementioned bachelors or bachelorettes will be the heart events, which occur with specific people when the player reaches a certain friendship level with. Those events could be a glimpse into Shane's alcohol addiction, Penny's grappling with living with her mother, or indulging Maru's science fascination by stargazing with her.
It's a wonderful reward for players who put the time in, but each personality only has a few events, and they never stick around for long, only enough for the player to get a brief insight into that character's life. Usually, they focus on just one plot line, and more could be done with them to make the budding relationship feel more involved. Haunted Chocolatier will have the opportunity to do this, as ConcernedApe has confirmed that romances will be a factor in the upcoming release. To replicate what Stardew Valley did would be enough, but there's a lot of potential to add more, especially as the foundations have already been laid.
Romance Could Be a Big Factor in Haunted Chocolatier
While Stardew Valley tasks players with a smorgasbord of tasks and responsibilities to achieve in each in-game day as a farmer, explorer, fisherman, wheeler-dealer, and community friend, Haunted Chocolatier could be best served focusing on just a few things but in a way that is more in depth. Romance needs to be one of those components, and it should put more emphasis on developing a relationship by working to make Stardew Valley's heart events more substantial.
In the 2016 game they feel worthwhile in spite of their fleeting length because they are structurally different to the repeated and formulaic gameplay format, taking control away from players as they watch a small but charming cutscene unfold. Without moments of genuine emotion, Stardew Valley would be a deep but lifeless farming/life simulator, but with the snappy writing and simple yet effective character development, it becomes so much more. Haunted Chocolatier has the chance to continue its predecessor's strong legacy, and expanding heart events would be a neat way to recapture the charm.
Haunted Chocolatier is in development.