Haunted Chocolatieris the latest project by Eric “ConcernedApe” Barone, creator of the massive indie hit,Stardew Valley. When the trailer forHaunted Chocolatierdropped back in October, fans were quick to draw comparisons to ConcernedApe’s first project, owing to the remarkably similar visual style with assets being drawn fromStardew Valleyfor use inHaunted Chocolatier. There’s also the fact that the premise for the gameplay ofHaunted Chocolatierseems to be more or less a continuation ofStardew Valley, except with players taking control of, unsurprisingly, a chocolatier in a rural village who resides in a haunted house.
Though the initial trailer didn’t give fans a ton to go off of, subsequent comments made by ConcernedApe have offered a glimpse into thedifferences betweenStardew ValleyandHaunted Chocolatier. For now, it appears thatHaunted Chocolatierwill be a slight departure from theHarvest Moon-inspired farming simulation ofStardew Valleyand will instead encourage players to engage in a greater degree of combat to gather ingredients for a shop management style of gameplay. While introducing new gameplay should satisfy both new and inveterate fans alike, there are a few features, likeStardew Valley’s mysteries and Easter eggs, that should remain a staple in its spiritual successor,Haunted Chocolatier.
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Haunted Chocolatier is the Perfect Setting for Mysteries
Even thoughStardew Valleyis sprinkled with its fair share of horror and fantasy flavor,Haunted Chocolatierhas the opportunity to lean more aggressively into both categories. Since the core of the gameplay will take place in a haunted mansion, with ghosts acting as employees, ConcernedApe’s latest project is, right off the bat, has the potential for a much more fantastical take thanStardew Valley. It’s the type of setting that seems to be begging for aClue-style murder mystery, but there are plenty ofgames thatHaunted Chocolatiercould draw inspirationfrom such asLuigi’s Mansionwhich could lend the game a more light-hearted horror approach.
ConcernedApe also appears to bepulling more inspiration fromSuper Mario 64by outfitting the eponymous chocolatier with portals that will transport the player to different locations. Through the use of these portals,Haunted Chocolatierhas essentially limitless potential for hidden Easter eggs and secrets. WhileStardew Valleywas structured around, and in a sense bound by the town,Haunted Chocolatiercould force players into unfamiliar locations to face challenges and uncover secrets that simply weren’t possible inStardew Valley.
The Practical Argument for Including More Mysteries
While the mysteries ofStardew Valleyare certainly interesting and add nuance to the game, they serve an equally important practical purpose. Despite releasing over five years ago, there are stillsecrets inStardew Valleythat remain unsolvedto this day. In an effort to solve the mysteries ofStardew Valley, players have poured countless hours into exploring the game in depth. From a purely functional standpoint, mysteries can be an effective, relatively simple way to drive engagement in the game. For the mysteries that are tied to low percent occurrences, like the Strange Capsule’s shadowy figure—that only has a 1% chance of appearing—it’s also a great way to encourage the community to share their findings with one another and promote the game further.
Perhaps an even more compelling reason to add more mysteries to the game is to break up the monotony that is baked into farming simulators or store management games. WhileStardew Valleyis one of the most successful examples of the genre at keeping its gameplay feeling fresh, even the most die-hard players will inevitably want to change things up now and again. The option to try and solve one of the many unsolved mysteries, or just the knowledge that one ofStardew Valley’s rarest random eventscould occur at any time, is a surefire way to keep players feeling engaged.
