Haunted Chocolatier Strike Gold in a Stardew Valley Customization Option

Haunted Chocolatier is set to bring forth a spiritual successor inspired by the massive indie hit Stardew Valley. Since its launch, Stardew Valley has been at the forefront of the cozy life sim genre. Now that its follow-up Haunted Chocolatier looms in the distance, there are plenty of questions surrounding just how much Stardew Valley will influence the candy-focused title.

Although the energy and art style of Haunted Chocolatier holds the same spirit as its predecessor, its premise is vastly different. Instead of inheriting a small farm that one has to tend, players step into the shoes of a candy maker who also happens to live in a haunted mansion. There will likely be gameplay similarities between Stardew Valley and Haunted Chocolatier, but one feature from the former could be a treasure trove of possibilities with the game’s spooky setting. When starting Stardew Valley, players are able to choose which farm map they would like to begin with, and Haunted Chocolatier would be wise to do the same.

Bringing Player Customization Front and Center

After the long-awaited 1.6 update, Stardew Valley now has eight farm options for players to choose from. Each setting encourages its own specific play-style, adding an extra layer of versatility to the game. It wouldn’t be far out of the realm of possibility for developer Eric Barone to offer the same diversity for his next project. Of course, Haunted Chocolatier will likely aim to set itself apart from Stardew Valley in a variety of ways. However, staying true to some of the game’s strongest features would be a welcome point of familiarity for many players.

Stardew Valley’s Eight Farm Options

• Standard Farm – no specialty, but offers lots of space
• Riverland Farm – emphasizes fishing
• Forest Farm – emphasizes foraging
• Hill-top Farm – emphasizes mining
• Wilderness Farm – emphasizes combat
• Four Corners Farm – best for multiplayer
• Beach Farm – emphasizes fishing and foraging at the cost of farming
• Meadowlands Farm – emphasizes livestock farming

The variety offered in these options gives Haunted Chocolatier a high bar to reach when it comes to player customization, but it isn’t impossible to match. Instead of choosing a specific setting that caters to focused types of farming, Haunted Chocolatier could offer a roster of haunted mansions that are focused on specific types of candy.

Haunted Chocolatier
was announced in October 2021. Since then, there has yet to be another substantial update.

This could potentially be taken a step further by also making each mansion harbor different types of ghosts. Barone has stated that the ghosts in Haunted Chocolatier are friendly, which leaves the door open for the game to include a variety of spooky friends that each have their own specific skill sets for one’s candy-making business. Depending on the mansion one chooses, it could determine what kind of spectral guests roam the halls.

Haunted Chocolatier Continuing Stardew Valley’s Legacy

As of now, there is no telling when Haunted Chocolatier will be ready to be released. Barone has had his hands full with Stardew Valley‘s 1.6 update, which has briefly taken him away from the project. Despite the setback, the future still looks bright for Haunted Chocolatier, even if it has some high expectations to meet. Stardew Valley has staked its claim as an indie darling, and Haunted Chocolatier can hopefully achieve the same status. One of the main aspects of Stardew Valley that makes it so special is how it provides a fun experience for a diverse variety of gamers. Whether one prefers a survival combat experience or just peacefully farming livestock, the game’s farm map options make it happen.

Many of the details surrounding Haunted Chocolatier remain in the shadows, but it will be fascinating to see how Stardew Valley‘s influence shines through in such an anticipated follow-up. Whenever Haunted Chocolatier is ready to launch, it will be exciting to see how player customization is handled.