Farming is hard work, but Stardew Valley makes it a heck load of fun at least. The beloved farming sim has won the hearts of many since its release, with the follower count for creator Eric ‘ConcernedApe’ Barone growing steadily over the years. Most recently, it hit the one million mark, which means a celebration is in order.
Thanks for 1 million followers 👍here's a few Haunted Chocolatier images pic.twitter.com/3PW2jMIF3R
— ConcernedApe (@ConcernedApe) October 4, 2023
Taking to X, formerly Twitter, the developer shared four new screenshots from his upcoming game Haunted Chocolatier. The tantalising teasers show off some new spaces: a cosy, interior home and shop, a lush woodland, a mermaid fountain at night, and a spooky skeleton-inhabiting library.
More notably, the forest image features the player character firing a bow and arrow at a leafy enemy, which aligns with the game’s increased combat focus compared with Stardew Valley. Barone has, in fact, previously confirmed the forthcoming adventure will include boss battles.
This latest update comes around a month after another screenshot drop, featuring a kindly-looking old man in a nightcap who says, “…I was just having the most terrible dream.” The figure’s resemblance to Grandpa – the character who hands over the farm to players at the start of Stardew Valley – has sparked speculation that both are one and the same.
Not much else is known about Haunted Chocolatier, but the top-down pixel-based “town game” will involve moving to a new place, learning a new trade, and getting to know neighbours better. It’s a familiar premise, except there’s also an action RPG element to it, so expect gameplay to be a little different from its farming sim counterpart.
The highly-anticipated sweet-making adventure doesn’t have a release date yet. However, it won’t be dropping any time soon, as Barone has halted its development to focus on Stardew Valley‘s 1.6 update. A bountiful harvest for players, it’ll bring new late-game content, a new major festival, 100+ lines of dialogue, a new farm type, support for eight-player multiplayer on PC, and more.
Si Jia is a casual geek at heart – or as casual as someone with Sephiroth’s theme on her Spotify playlist can get. A fan of movies, games, and Japanese culture, Si Jia’s greatest weakness is the Steam Summer Sale. Or any Steam sale, really.
