Haunted Chocolatier is still ‘a town game’, but it’ll be more of an action RPG: ‘It’s for the people in Stardew Valley that go into the mines’
Haunted Chocolatier, the upcoming game from Stardew Valley creator Eric Barone, will retain a focus on town life while placing more emphasis on action role-playing. Barone said the shift is intended to appeal to Stardew players who enjoy exploring and fighting in the mines.
The game is still in development, and Barone described it as a “town game” with a different balance of activities. Its action elements are expected to be more prominent than in Stardew Valley, while the town remains central to the experience.
- Haunted Chocolatier will lean further into action RPG gameplay.
- The town will remain central to the game.
- Barone is targeting Stardew players who enjoy its mines.
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Stardew Valley is a farming and life simulation game created by Eric Barone, in which players build a farm and get to know people in a nearby town. It also has mines where players explore, gather resources and fight creatures.
Haunted Chocolatier is Barone’s next game, still being developed. It centres on running a chocolate shop and living in a town, with more emphasis on fighting and exploration than Stardew Valley. The balance between town life and action will shape how the new game differs while remaining familiar to players of Barone’s earlier work.
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The case for
A stronger action RPG focus could give Haunted Chocolatier a more varied rhythm and reward players who enjoy exploration and combat, while keeping the town at its heart. Building on the appeal of Stardew Valley’s mines may let the game deepen an existing part of that experience without abandoning its community and town-life appeal.
The case against
Giving combat and action a larger role could shift attention from the relaxed routines and social connections that many players value in Stardew Valley. Even if the town remains central, a different balance of activities may make the new game feel less welcoming to players who prefer farming, relationships and low-pressure play.
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