'Stardew Valley' Creator's New Game Looks Like A Full-On Sequel

The developer of Stardew Valley has revealed that his next game is going to be set in a haunted and fantastical world where the player owns a chocolate shop and serves those who have passed onto the other side. 

Players will recognise the art style and the soft yet bright colour palettes here in Haunted Chocolatier, yet ConcernedApe clarified that this game will offer a contrasting experience compared to the easy everydayness of Stardew Valley. “With my next game, I wanted to explore more fantastical possibilities… experiences that take you beyond the ordinary,” explained the developer in a post to his own blog. “That’s where magical haunted ghost chocolate comes in.”

The what? Well, ConcernedApe said that the idea appeared and appealed to him within a very short span of inspiration, and while the pitch is a little esoteric, he’s assuring fans that the secret ingredient is the smooth execution of the concept.  

Check out the trailer for Haunted Chocolatier right here — offering mysterious portals inside opulent mansions, decorations for your chocolate shop, and new characters to befriend!

“Chocolate represents that which is delightful,” continued ConcernedApe. The haunted castle represents the allure of the unknown. The ghosts represent the imprint of the past. All of these things are important.” 

This isn’t a spooky or scary game, though, in spite of its setting. “On the contrary, I intend for this game to be positive, uplifting and life-affirming,” added the developer. “However, if Stardew Valley mostly channeled the energy of the sun, Haunted Chocolatier channels the energy of the moon.”

I like that wording. For players of Stardew Valley, I’m sure that they’re already forming an orderly queue for the midnight release of Haunted Chocolatier. The only issue is, they’ll likely be waiting for a while. “While the video I put together may look like the game is at an advanced stage of development, there is still a ton of stuff to do,” admitted the developer. 

Still, there’s a lot to look forward to though ConcernedApe couldn’t share more at the moment. “I’ve been mostly working on the “meat and potatoes” of the game so far. But what really brings a game to life is the spice, the sauce. And I haven’t really gotten to the sauce yet,” he said. So many metaphors. All game announcements should take a leaf from ConcernedApe’s book. 

Topics: PC