Haunted Chocolatier may still be in the early stages of development, but it’s clear that ConcenedApe has big plans for his next title. In contrast to Stardew Valley, Haunted Chocolatier will blend in genres besides simulation gameplay, with the game truly falling under the genre of action adventure RPG. ConcernedApe has confirmed that combat will be a major component of Haunted Chocolatier not just with his words, but from official screen captures of the game and even a gameplay trailer. With combat being such a major part of Haunted Chocolatier, it would make perfect sense for one of Stardew Valley’s most useful items to be included in the game.
ConcernedApe has been very clear about Haunted Chocolatier’s differences from Stardew Valley. Despite distancing the two titles from one another, Haunted Chocolatier has a few confirmed similarities with ConcernedApe’s first title. The most obvious is their shared artstyle, but Haunted Chocolatier will also allow players to romance NPCs. Even Stardew Valley had its fair share of combat, though Haunted Chocolatier’s take on the mechanic seems to be different and Stardew Valley limited combat to certain areas, like The Mines.
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Stardew Valley’s Return Scepter
Combat isn’t the only time players can use Stardew Valley’s most useful item, but it’s certainly one of the best times to use it. The Return Scepter is a non-consumable Warp Totem that warps players directly outside their Farmhouse. Players must pay a hefty sum in order to acquire the Return Scepter. Retailing at two million gold, the Return Scepter is the most expensive inventory item in Stardew Valley and can be purchased from Krobus in the Sewers.
Other, cheaper, Warp Totems are location-exclusive and are consumed in use, with individual totems that will warp players to the Farm, Mountains, Beach, Desert, and Ginger Island, all available. Though the Return Scepter’s price is high, it is well worth its ridiculous price tag considering the bang for its buck. Consumable location-specific Warp Totems are typically made by crafting, but Farm Totems can also be found in Mystery Boxes, at the Island Trader, and the Crane Game at the Movie Theater. Based on the materials required to craft these totems, and the labor involved in finding their materials, saving up for a Return Scepter is well worth the cost if fast travel is the player’s main mode of transportation.
How the Return Scepter Could Work in Haunted Chocolatier
Stardew Valley is considered a cozy game by many gamers, but an item like a Return Scepter could be even more useful when placed in a combat setting. Part of Haunted Chocolatier’s core gameplay is finding ingredients for the various sweets made at the player’s confectionery. The exact details of searching for these ingredients have yet to be revealed by ConcernedApe, but the mechanic could take several routes, including something akin to Stardew Valley’s version of foraging. However, it would make sense for combat encounters to be triggered while searching for ingredients, as this would combine both gameplay aspects mentioned in Haunted Chocolatier’s title.
Players stuck in a difficult combat encounter could use an item similar to the Return Scepter to warp back to their confectionery, rather than their farm house. A high-priced item like the Return Scepter with no consumption should definitely be an option for players, though consumable totems would also be a great addition. However, considering how often players will likely encounter combat in Haunted Chocolatier, decreasing the price of these consumable Warp Totems is a change ConcernedApe should definitely consider.
Overall, the Return Scepter could be yet another similarity that Haunted Chocolatier and Stardew Valley share. Even if ConcernedApe wants the two titles to be distinct from one another, the Return Scepter is definitely an item that should make a return.
Haunted Chocolatier
- Released
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2025
- ESRB
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e
- Engine
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MonoGame
