Haunted Chocolatier Strike Gold in a Stardew Valley customization option

Haunted Chocolates is set to produce a spiritual successor inspired by the massive indie hit Stardew Valley. Since its launch, Stardew Valley has been at the forefront of the cozy life sim genre. Now that it's follow up Haunted Chocolates looms in the distance, there are many questions about how much Stardew Valley will affect the candy-focused title.

Although the energy and art style of Haunted Chocolates has the same spirit as its predecessor, its starting point is very different. Instead of inheriting a small farm to manage, players step into the shoes of a candy maker who also happens to live in a haunted mansion. There will likely be gameplay similarities between Stardew Valley and Haunted Chocolatesbut a feature from the former can be a treasure trove of possibilities with the game's ghostly setting. At startup Stardew Valleyplayers can choose which farm map they want to start with, and Haunted Chocolates would be wise to do the same.

Bring Player Customization Front and Center

After the long-awaited 1.6 update, Stardew Valley now has eight farm options for players to choose from. Each setting encourages its own specific playstyle, adding an extra layer of versatility to the game. It wouldn't be far out of the realm of possibility for developer Eric Barone to offer the same diversity for his next project. Of course, Haunted Chocolates will likely seek to separate from Stardew Valley in a variety of ways. But staying true to some of the game's strongest features would be a welcome point of familiarity for many players.

Stardew Valley's eight farm options

• Standard Farm – no specialty, but offers plenty of space
• Riverland Farm – emphasizes fishing
• Forest farm – emphasizes foraging
• Hill-top Farm – emphasizes mining
• Wilderness Farm – emphasizes combat
• Four Corners Farm – best for multiplayer
• Beach Farm – emphasizes fishing and foraging at the expense of agriculture
• Meadowlands Farm – emphasizes animal husbandry

The variety offered in these options provides Haunted Chocolates a high bar to reach when it comes to player customization, but it's not impossible to match. Instead of choosing a specific environment that caters to focused types of farming, Haunted Chocolates can offer a list of haunted mansions that are focused on specific types of candy.

Haunted Chocolates
was announced in October 2021. Since then, there has yet to be a significant update.

This could potentially be taken a step further by also making each mansion a different type of ghost. Barone has stated that the ghosts in Haunted Chocolates are friendly, leaving the door open for the game to include a variety of ghostly friends who each have their own specific skills for one's candy company. Depending on which mansion you choose can determine what kind of spectral guests roam the halls.

Haunted Chocolatier Continues Stardew Valley's Legacy

At the moment, we don't know when Haunted Chocolates will be ready for release. Barone has had his hands full Stardew Valleys 1.6 update, which briefly removed him from the project. Despite the setback, the future still looks bright Haunted Chocolatesalthough it has high expectations to meet. Stardew Valley has staked its claim as an indie darling, and Haunted Chocolates can hopefully achieve the same status. One of the most important aspects of Stardew Valley what makes it so special is how it provides a fun experience for a variety of players. Whether one prefers a survival combat experience or just peacefully raising livestock, the game's farm map options make it happen.

Many of the details around Haunted Chocolates remain in the shadows, but it will be fascinating to see how Stardew Valleys influence shines through in such an expected follow-up. Whenever Haunted Chocolates is ready to launch, it will be exciting to see how player customization is handled.