The success of Stardew Valley means that the developer's follow-up has the weight of the world on its shoulders. It's Eric 'ConcernedApe' Barone's take on the farming/life simulator akin to games like Harvest Moon: Friends of Mineral Town, but outperforms it in almost every way. Releasing in 2016 and coming to almost every modern platform, it's a game that is simple in visuals and gameplay, but the progression is gradual and seemingly never-ending. The myriad things to do before the close of each in-game day means there's never a right time to stop playing.
Haunted Chocolatier will deploy similar graphics and have a few recognizable features to fans of Stardew Valley, but as the upcoming game 'channels the energy of the moon' according to its developer, there will be plenty of differences to keep all players on their toes. Characters will be a big part of Haunted Chocolatier, and the game could take inspiration from one of Stardew Valley's best as Sebastian is relatable, flawed, and always interesting. He's one of many small, significant stories, but perhaps sends the most poignant message. It's one that Haunted Chocolatier could build upon with its own character who struggles as Sebastian does.
Stardew Valley Handled Complex Characters Like Sebastian with Care
Though the inhabitants of Pelican Town may seem like whimsical personalities without a care in the world, the reality is far more compelling. They're a friendly bunch for the most part (maybe apart from Stardew Valley's George), but as introductions are light-hearted, more time spent with them show a level of humanity that was unexpected when Stardew Valley released in 2016. From Shane's struggles with alcohol addiction to Penny's grappling with a somewhat abusive mother, the characters exhibit deeply human traits that give the town at large so much life.
Sebastian in Stardew Valley is welcoming and kind, but reclusive, spending much of his time on the computer and away from company. It's alluded to that he has a crush on fellow town resident Abigail and has a friendship with Sam, but his ambitions lie away from the town he grew up in, and his social anxieties play a big role in his development with the heart events that players can engage with. It's arcs like his that give the game its unrelenting charm, and Haunted Chocolatier would do well to mimic this to give players who relate to Sebastian's struggles someone to latch onto.
Haunted Chocolatier Needs to be Relatable as Well as Fun
While gameplay may be king in some genres, in Stardew Valley it was the progression and personalities that made the game sing. With Haunted Chocolatier the same may be true, and making its story, setting, and people relatable could go a long way to giving it the stopping power that fans may be expecting it to have. It's a game that has to be more than just fun to play because of the way it feels, as its predecessor keeps players around because it has a tone to match its fantastic mechanics.
From learning more about his eagerness to leave Pelican Town to playing Solarion Chronicles: The Game with the player and Sam, Sebastian is a character who is immensely relatable. He's another one of the many charming personalities, but his struggles with social anxiety and his friendship almost exclusively with Sam are things that could all be either replicated or advanced upon with a character in Haunted Chocolatier. That game has to find a way to capture the same density and humanity that Stardew Valley did, which will be a monumental task in and of itself.
Haunted Chocolatier is in development.