Eric Barone AKA ConcernedApe has been fairly quiet about his sophomore projectHaunted Chocolatiersince its initial reveal a few years ago. It speaks to the trust that audiences have in Barone that, despiteHaunted Chocolatier’s mechanics, general structure, and story being so shrouded in mystery, there is still an overwhelming sense of optimism about the title.
Barone isn’t exactly a prolific developer, but the incredible success ofStardew Valleysent shockwaves through the games industry, strong enough to shift the tides of trends in both the AAA and indie spaces. Indeed,Stardew Valleyhas served as the blueprintfor countless so-called ‘cozy’ games, with the last few years seeing a flood of emulative titles, of varying degrees of quality. Even mainstream, big-budget releases likeDisney Dreamlight Valleyhave taken some cues fromStardew Valley, incorporating slow-paced, micromanagement-centric gameplay to addictive effect. Still, there’s no game quite likeStardew Valley, and it’s probable that gaming audiences will see a similar phenomenon onceHaunted Chocolatierlaunches in earnest.
Haunted Chocolatier Could Be Just as Influential as Stardew Valley
Haunted Chocolatier Is Tweaking the Stardew Valley Formula
Stardew Valleyitself is emulative of classic farming simulation series likeHarvest Moon, but it makes enough changes to set it apart as its own, surprisingly contemporary experience. It’s not clear just how much ofStardew Valley’s DNA will be present inHaunted Chocolatier, but it’s safe to assume that Barone will make some significant changes to his thus-far winning formula. Just how risky these changes will be remains to be seen, butHaunted Chocolatier’s premise demands different approaches to gameplay.
For one thing,Haunted Chocolatierwill have a greater focus on combat, per Barone’s own statements. It can be assumed that this combat emphasis will tie into the other core gameplay systems, but farming and business management simulations don’t usually put combat front-and-center. This alone makesHaunted Chocolatierdifferent from the rest of its ilk, but its shop management and chocolate-crafting mechanics also promise to set it apart.
This could be a major departure for the cozy simulation scene, which defaults to farming, livestock-rearing, foraging, and other salt-of-the-earth practices for the basis of its gameplay pillars. In other words,Haunted Chocolatiermoving away from farming, in a seemingly definitive manner, could be a decision that reverberates through the rest of its genre niche.
There Will Probably Be a Landslide of Haunted Chocolatier Imitators
WhileStardew Valleymade cozy farming the hot trend of the hour,Haunted Chocolatiercould do the same for its various mechanics or framing decisions. For example, it’s not hard to imagine a bevy ofHaunted Chocolatier-inspired games set in a supernatural setting, putting quasi-spooky tropes like ghosts at the center of their premise. Then there are the more specific design choices, like the emphasis on combat or the customization and management of a shop, which could also conceivably bleed into other titles by way ofHaunted Chocolatier’s inevitable cultural influence, which will probably be felt even on the off-chance that the game is disappointing.
In the cozy gaming space, no individual creator is as influential as ConcernedApe—a funny thing to consider, since he entered a market dominated by goliaths like Nintendo.Stardew Valleystruck a perfect balance between steady progression, depth, and low-stakes, easy-to-grasp mechanics, solidifying it as a landmark success that countless creators would attempt to repeat.Haunted Chocolatierwill build offStardew Valley’s foundation, certainly, but its more unique aspects could also make it the spark for a new generation of cozy games, moving the genre away from the trends thatStardew Valleyrevitalized.
Haunted Chocolatier
WHERE TO PLAY
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.
