While Haunted Chocolatier can inherit a lot of good things from Stardew Valley, one particular trick won’t have the same punch the second time around. Stardew Valley is a fantastic base upon which to build, and Haunted Chocolatier‘s early footage does show that it takes a fair bit of inspiration from the game. Considering that the two share a developer, this should be no surprise. At the same time, Haunted Chocolatier is establishing its own identity well before release. This is a good sign early on, showing that the game’s bringing something new to the table. However, it also ensures one Stardew Valley surprise isn’t repeatable.
Of course, Haunted Chocolatier isn’t a Stardew Valley repeat, even though the two games have a fair bit in common. For one, it seems like Haunted Chocolatier will have more of an emphasis on selling the player’s creations, given that they have their own storefront to work with. Conversely, Stardew Valley‘s farmer either sold directly to shops or through the shipping bin. While Haunted Chocolatier‘s lead will still have to make their confections, just like how the farmer had to raise their own crops and cook their own dishes, the games’ overall formulas will probably end up looking quite different.
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Stardew Valley’s Friendship System Could Be Flipped on its Head in Haunted Chocolatier
Haunted Chocolatier is poised to build upon much of Stardew Valley’s core systems, and one social mechanic could use some bold iteration.
Haunted Chocolatier May Not Have its Own Equivalent to Krobus
Krobus Was Stardew Valley’s Biggest Non-Human Character
Most fans are already aware of Stardew Valley‘s potential roommate Krobus. Krobus is a shadow person who runs a shop in the sewers, hidden from the rest of the town. In addition to visiting his shop, players can befriend him, and they even have the opportunity to take him in as a roommate if they aren’t already married. While not identical to the game’s spouses, Krobus plays a similar role, and he is quite popular with the fanbase due to his cuteness and likable personality. Not to mention, being the only non-human cohabitation option gives Krobus a fairly unique appeal among the cast.
Stardew Valley players could also befriend the Dwarf, but only Krobus could move in with them.
Haunted Chocolatier Will Have More Supernatural Elements in Stardew Valley
While Krobus was a big hit in Stardew Valley, in the supernatural world of Haunted Chocolatier, another character in his vein might not have the same effect. If the name of the game didn’t make it clear enough, scenes of the shop in Haunted Chocolatier show it being staffed by ghosts. The player is certainly going to be interacting with these ghosts as well, either directly or indirectly, and they’re probably going to be able to speak to at least some of them. If the player is surrounded by supernatural entities to talk to, then that dynamic won’t be much of a character gimmick.
Non-Human Friendships Will Likely Be More Common in Haunted Chocolatier
Of course, that shouldn’t rule out the possibility of more magical relationships. In fact, supernatural romance in Haunted Chocolatier feels more likely than ever. At the same time, that also means that these relationships won’t stand out in that sense. Of course, Krobus’s friendship with the protagonist wasn’t gimmicky, and he had plenty of notable traits on his own. At the same time, his status as the only non-human that could move in with the farmer was a major factor that made him stand out. If Haunted Chocolatier has plenty of supernatural friends for the protagonist, then they’ll be less eye-catching in the crowd.
Haunted Chocolatier would benefit from more non-human friends, but it probably won’t have a Krobus figure. It would be surprising if the friendships in Haunted Chocolatier didn’t include any ghosts at the very least. After all, a part of Krobus’s arc was about being an outsider in a village of humans, to the point of disguising himself in public. Haunted Chocolatier doesn’t seem like it will have the same kind of taboos. In that sense, Haunted Chocolatier might have lots of supernatural friends, but it won’t have a Krobus.
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.