Haunted Chocolatier: Every Gameplay Activity Shown In Reveal Trailer
The next game from ConcernedApe, developer of Stardew Valley, has finally been confirmed thanks to this week's release of an early gameplay reveal trailer. Haunted Chocolatier, though only in the early stages of development, seems to be following closely in the footsteps of its predecessor, and the trailer alone shows off a wide variety of different activities that players will be able to engage in when the game comes out. From familiar features like combat and foraging to brand-new mechanics, here's what can be expected from Haunted Chocolatier already.
Given how successful the 2016 launch of Stardew Valley was despite its small development team, it's not much surprise that a spiritual successor is being produced. Haunted Chocolatier places players into the shoes of a town's new chocolate maker, who runs a shop out of a haunted castle and engages with the townsfolk in various ways, not all too different from the basic overall experience of Stardew Valley. Unlike ConcernedApe's previous game, however, farming doesn't seem to be much of a focus, perhaps paving the way for a more unique gameplay loop, something that should appeal to players who are burnt out in regards to Stardew Valley's core mechanics.
No release date has as of yet been specified for Haunted Chocolatier, meaning that it could be a few years still before Stardew Valley fans should expect it. However, screenshots and a development blog have both been provided for the game on top of the Haunted Chocolatier reveal trailer, which means it should be fairly easy to track the developer's progress as it approaches its final state. What is known is that the game's story and tone will take a more fantastical approach than Stardew Valley does, leaning into extraordinary experiences and magical elements. This leaves the door open for plenty of new opportunities.
On the official Haunted Chocolatier website, ConcernedApe specifies that the main focus of the game is on gathering ingredients, making chocolate with them, and then selling these products. While cooking was available as a feature in Stardew Valley, it wasn't as much of a focus, with much of the game instead revolving around selling crops and minerals to earn a profit. Cooked foods were better off used as gifts or healing items. In Haunted Chocolatier, however, the chocolate creation process is at the heart of the game. Early screenshots show a recipe book containing various different types of chocolate, though for the moment it's unclear exactly how many different recipes can be collected. It's also possible that unique variants of familiar recipes may appear as new locations and ingredients are unlocked.
Rather than farming, foraging is evidently the main way ingredients are gathered in Haunted Chocolatier. Whereas in Stardew Valley players could create recipes entirely by utilizing crops they personally grew, exploration will be necessary to branch out into different types of chocolates. Although foraging was available as a skill in Stardew Valley, it's likely that it will see far more focus this time around. The reveal trailer shows players swiping at tall grass, flowers, and bushes in order to gather things like nectar and huckleberries, both of which will presumably be used in a unique recipe later on. Given there doesn't appear to be any space to create a proper farm, there will most likely be plenty of open space around the town to gather things from.
Also returning from Stardew Valley is the combat skill, alongside familiar enemies such as slimes. The reveal trailer shows players using both melee weapons and items like a bow and arrows to attack various different types of adversaries, some of which drop items like milk to be used in recipes. While it's possible that there may be a combat-oriented area in Haunted Chocolatier, much like the mines and dungeons in Stardew Valley, from the reveal trailer it appears as though enemies can simply be encountered wherever players go to forage for chocolate ingredients.
Haunted Chocolatier starts players off with an entire castle to renovate, allowing them plenty of space to turn it into the chocolate shop of their dreams. Presumably, there will also be a living area to customize, just as there was in Stardew Valley. It's unknown at the moment whether this space will be shared with the shop or not. In Stardew Valley, items could be both purchased and crafted by hand, something that may also make a return in Haunted Chocolatier. Customization overall seems to have been taken a step beyond what was seen in the previous game, meaning there could be substantially more items to choose from when designing the perfect space.
The player-owned business featured in Haunted Chocolatier is likewise a tier above that seen in Stardew Valley, which merely allowed players to place crops and other items into a bin to be sold overnight. Now, selling items is tied into the customization options presented for the business, allowing players to set chocolates down on countertops and actually witness NPCs coming into the store to buy different items. There are even ghosts hanging around to help run the shop, carrying items back and forth as well as running the cash register. It sets shopkeeping up as an important part of Haunted Chocolatier's core gameplay, which helps make the hard work of foraging for ingredients and crafting chocolate recipes all the more rewarding.
Alongside the more material goals of Stardew Valley was another important element of bonding with the townsfolk. Each character had unique dialogue and taste in gifts, allowing for meaningful relationship progression as players spent more time with them and offered them things they enjoyed. Not only could players form deep friendships with the game's NPCs, but they could also start a committed relationship and marry them as the game progressed. The reveal trailer for Haunted Chocolatier shows something similar, featuring a player speaking to characters and offering gifts like Stardew Valley. While it hasn't been confirmed yet, it's likely that marriage will also once again be an option in this game.
Other features, though not explicitly shown, are implied to be a part of Haunted Chocolatier based both on the reveal trailer and the screenshots that have been released thus far. This includes character customization, as may be demonstrated by the changing appearance of the player character throughout the trailer, as well as the ability to craft and collect different outfits and hats throughout the game. No word has officially been given on how these elements will be fleshed out, of course, so fans of Stardew Valley will simply have to wait for the next update to see what other mechanics Haunted Chocolatier will have to offer.
Source: Haunted Chocolatier