Fans of laid-back farming simulatorStardew Valleyare waiting excitedly forHaunted Chocolatier,the next title from creator Eric “ConcernedApe” Barone. Unfortunately, it seems likely that the game is several months or even several years in the future, forcingStardew Valleyfans to come up with unique and creative ideas to make the wait bearable. One fan, in particular, came up with an exciting idea to pay tribute toHaunted Chocolatierin another slow-paced life simulation game.
Announced by ConcernedApe in late 2021,Haunted Chocolatieris the creator’s second major project afterStardew Valley.LikeStardew Valley,ConcernedApe will be developing this game almost entirely on his own. So far, the creator has described the game as being both similar to and different fromStardew Valley.Rather than a farm, players will run a chocolate factory and shop with adorable ghost assistants. Some elements fromStardew Valleywill be returning, including the ability to build both platonic and romantic relationships with NPCs.
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On Reddit, a user going by u/acnh_kaylee showed off a recreation of the titular Haunted Chocolatier itself inside another popular simulation game,Animal Crossing: New Horizons.They usedAnimal Crossing’sin-game design function to create a building with an exterior that matched that of the Chocolatier, including a large sign and two fake “windows” giving a glimpse inside the building. The player’s character stood outside and performed the Greeting action, as though welcoming visitors to the establishment. However, they did not show off the interior of the Chocolatier, so it remains unknown whether the building is also decorated like a chocolate shop on the inside.
This is not u/acnh_kaylee’s first project combining the worlds ofStardew ValleyandAnimal Crossing: New Horizons.Previously, they created anentireStardew Valley-themed island, including recreations of iconic locations throughout Pelican Town, including the Tavern, Mayor Lewis’s house, and Pierre’s general store. The island, which even included the player character’s nemesis JojaMart, was praised for its meticulous attention to detail and the accuracy with which eachStardew Valleylandmark was remade in anAnimal Crossingstyle.
One way in whichHaunted Chocolatierwill differ fromStardew Valleyis in its focus on exploration and combat. Players will be able to explore a large wilderness area, getting into fights with a variety of wild creatures. It also is rumored tofeature boss battles, whichStardew Valleydid not. IfHaunted Chocolatierindeed gives such a large focus to exploration, it could take some cues fromAnimal Crossing: New Horizons,which allows fans to purchase plane tickets to a number of surrounding islands where they can encounter rare items, new potential island residents, and creatures such as tarantulas.
Stardew Valleyis currently available for Android, iOS, Linux, macOS, Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita, and Xbox One.
