Summary
Haunted Chocolatierhas a mountain to climb to live up to the standards thatStardew Valleyset. Its developer has been open and transparent with fans about its production over the last few years, providing updates that show how it’s coming together as the months roll by. The game is yet to receive a release date, but details have emerged that give players an inkling of how it will be similar, or how it will change fromStardew Valley.
The combat will be different toStardew ValleyinHaunted Chocolatier, as ConcernedApe has said it will reward a more cautious and methodical approach, and yield benefits for those who are patient instead of going in without a thought beforehand. As to how far it will go in its pursuit of something new is uncertain, but the further it goes, the better.
Stardew Valley’s Fights are Fun, but Simple
Stardew Valleyis a game that wears many hats- it’s a farming simulator first and foremost, asking players to live off the fat of the land by growing, cultivating, and foraging for resources to live a fruitful life on the outskirts of Pelican Town. Breaking ground for new crops is just one way to achieve success, however, as fishing, mining, and fighting are all viable ways to progress. The mines to the west and the Skull Cavern in the desert are venues for the often intense combat, with interesting rewards being reaped the more players explore.
Haunted Chocolatierwill have players assume the role of a chocolate factory owner who is living in a haunted castle, having to collect ingredients to ensure the business is successful.
Mechanically, however, it’s a somewhat basic affair, with players only being able to swipe at enemies in real-time. There’s little strategy to be deployed at all, and despite things like poison and a choice of weapons helping to add at least a bit of diversity, it can get repetitive quickly. It’s not a huge problem, as there are so many other things that can be done in the solo-developed game, but withHaunted Chocolatier, the perfect opportunity arises to get more experimental.
Haunted Chocolatier Will Have Heavier Emphasis on Combat
Eric ‘ConcernedApe’ Baronehas already noted thatHaunted Chocolatierwill have more emphasis on combat, taking more cues from other pixel action RPGs. It’s an interesting philosophy to lean further into just one of the activities ofStardew Valley,but the decision perhaps forces change. It could be best forHaunted Chocolatierto shake things up in a drastic way, implementing features like armor, shields, and abilities to make battles feel more substantial.
In a blog post in October 2021, Eric ‘ConcernedApe’ Barone said: “Haunted Chocolatierhas a greater focus on combat, so it needs to be very fun, satisfying, and engaging, while also appropriately fitting into the big picture.
“You can rest assured that I’m not ‘copying and pasting’Stardew’s combat.”
Pushing away fromStardew Valleywill help temper old expectations, and prevent players from developing ones too high, and combat being a big part ofHaunted Chocolatieris a big change to create that separation. The developer has earned the good grace of gamers throughStardew Valley’s quality and the subsequent updates it has received that constantly make it better. Battling enemies can be unspectacular in that title, though, and using combat to create a world of difference between the ConcernedApe releases could help it stand out on its own.
Haunted Chocolatier Needs to Separate Itself from Stardew Valley Comparisons
A similar format for combat inHaunted Chocolatierto its predecessor will only add fuel to comparisons between it and the 2016 game. They already use a similar art style, so to battle enemies in a familiar way might be a means for players to compare the two, which would be hard for any game, asStardew Valleyremains one of the most beloved indie games ever made.
