Haunted Chocolatierhas the looks reminiscent ofStardew Valley, but time will tell if it will capture the same amount of heart. It’s the next project fromsolo-developer Eric ‘ConcernedApe’ Barone, and while it seems to differ from the farming-centric experience of the 2016 game, the visuals are immediately recognizable to what came before. The gameplay seems familiar, too, and perhaps this is a strong indicator that the two games will share more than a few things in common.
Stardew Valleyis special, not just because of the crops players can grow or the livestock they can raise, but all the things that can be done away from the farm. Enjoying the company of the local townsfolk, battling in the mines, or fishing in one of the multiple water spots help make the game far more than the sum of its parts. The traveling cart is a smaller inclusion, but one that is very handy, andHaunted Chocolatiercould benefit from something similar.
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Stardew Valley’s Traveling Cart Was a Huge Help
Stardew Valleyis broken up into seasons, with certain crops and foraged items only being available for that period of time. It constantly keeps the game fresh and interesting, and the promise of spring after a cold winter is a welcome reward when farming can finally resume. The changing conditions do well to keep players looking forward to the next season, and strategizing by not planting some crops as they won’t flourish in time makes it necessary to plan ahead, one of the key things that makes it an excellent farming simulator.
The pitfalls of poor planning inStardew Valleyare that the player could need a specific item for a cooking recipe or to fill out the community center bundles, but didn’t tick the box when the time was right. Having to wait three more months (or 90 in-game days) before that side chore can be completed would be frustrating, but the traveling cart is a clever last resort that could get the player out of trouble. It may not be stocked with the necessary item, but there is a chance, as its shelves are littered with rare, interesting, or surprising things that the player could be in dire need of.
Haunted Chocolatier Could Need Something Extra
It’s not known ifHaunted Chocolatierwill be divided likeStardew Valleywas, but a traveling cart (or something to that effect) would do well to add layers to its progression. Having JojaMart to lean on if Pierre’s shop wasn’t open gaveStardew Valleyplayers more options, which made the town feel all the more justified. Thetraveling cart in Cindersap Forestbeing available for just a few short hours on Fridays and Sundays did the same thing, and could be something thatHaunted Chocolatiercould learn from. Its fleeting nature makes the game’s progression feel all the more fluid, asking players to get to grips with the timings to get the best out of the experience.
Having a parallel to the traveling cart inHaunted Chocolatierwould be a small, but significant way to make the game feel more alive. An outlet that’s stocked with interesting ingredients or utensils that can give the player the opportunity to get ahead is smart, and the traveling cart inStardew Valleyfelt like a somewhat underrated element that could be learned if people do some exploring of their own.Haunted Chocolatierputting players in the place of a chocolate factory ownercould elevate the importance of something like the traveling cart, as those rare items can be used for fun new things.
Haunted Chocolatieris in development.
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