Summary
Fans of ConcernedApe’s farm life simStardew Valleyhave been anxiously awaiting the release of the developer’s next game,Haunted Chocolatiersince its development began in 2020. As the proprietors of their own customizable chocolate confectionery store inHaunted Chocolatier, players will sell delicious chocolate confections made from the ingredients they gather, alongside what will likely be even more activities related to the game’s non-player characters and its world.
It’s currently unclear the full extent of what ConcernedApe’sHaunted Chocolatierwill bring to the table that hasn’t already been introduced inStardew Valley, but several features have been confirmed and still more can likely be expected. One feature that has been confirmed by ConcernedApe to be present inHaunted Chocolatieris potential romantic relationships with NPCs, which players could also pursue inStardew Valley. Apart from adding depth to the world’s overarching narrative,Stardew Valley’s romantic partnersbenefit players in a variety of ways, and the hope is thatHaunted Chocolatierwill do the same.
Haunted Chocolatier Romantic Partnerships Could Function Similarly to Stardew’s
Stardew Valley’s Spouses Helped Out Around the Farm
Aside from the benefits of having a constant companion at their side after marrying inStardew Valley, players can receive regular help from their spouses on the farm, thus allowing them extra energy and time to spend elsewhere in the game. This makes pursuingromantic relationships inStardew Valleya highly worthwhile endeavor, although it can often prove to be a rather drawn-out and dramatic one.
The most beneficial bonus ofhaving a spouse inStardew Valleyis their tendency to help water crops and feed animals. These activities can often take players several hours, depending on how many crops and animals they have, so being able to step outside their house every morning inStardew Valleyto a well-kept farm is an enormous blessing. When they’re not helping out with crops and animals, however, spouses also keep the farm pet’s water bowl filled, cook the player some food, and sometimes even repair damaged structures. These are all signs of whatHaunted Chocolatiercould and arguably should implement in the upkeep and management of its chocolate confectionery business.
Haunted Chocolatier’s Spouses Could Help Run the Business
Running a farm inStardew Valleyandrunning a business inHaunted Chocolatierare likely to be on entirely different levels in terms of demand. Running a farm is taxing enough, as crops and animals will only last so long without the proper care. Running a business, on the other hand, comes with the added challenge of pleasing people. It’s currently unknown whetherHaunted Chocolatierwill give customers some sort of satisfaction meter, but it’s likely the pressure to please will be there regardless.
In light of that, perhapsHaunted Chocolatiercould implementStardew Valley’s spousal bonuses by allowing romantic partners to help players run the chocolate confectionery business.Haunted Chocolatiermay allow players to hire employeesto help out around the store, but the idea then of the player’s spouse staying in to manage the store while the player goes out to complete other activities could be even more efficient. It could also lead to interesting gameplay mechanics, whether that be in the two partners brainstorming ideas to build the business or the spouse contributing a unique feature to the business that other potential partners couldn’t.
AsHaunted Chocolatier’s release grows closer, ConcernedApe is likely to share more information about the upcoming workplace sim, and that may include information about the roles and functions of the game’s romantic partners. Hopefully, the new sim will see spouses running the business alongside the player, but that much remains to be seen.
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.
