Still not much is known about the details ofHaunted Chocolatierand its gameplay systems, but many expect them to be similar toStardew Valley. But, just because the two games are similar, sharing the same solo developer,Haunted Chocolatiercan still evolve away fromStardew Valleyby taking a different direction with some activities.
Stardew Valleyoffers players one of the best farming life sims in gaming, with no shortage of activities, quests, and collectibles to fill their time. Above all, players seem to put the most time into their farm and relationships, both of which take a lot of work. So, with all of the many time-consuming and rewarding activities, it doesn’t seem like players would spend their time digging through garbage cans. Yet some players can’t seem to resist the possibility of finding a treasure among the trash. It’s even possible tounlock the trash catalogby searching enough cans, giving players the ability to order garbage any time they like. This option gets such little attention that it seems likeStardew Valleywould be just fine without the option to go dumpster diving, butHaunted Chocolatiercould take the idea a step further to create more memorable gameplay experiences.
How Dumpster Diving Could Help Haunted Chocolatier Stand Out
One of the first differences fans ofStardew Valleynoticed in theHaunted Chocolatiertrailer was the much more urban setting. Pelican Town is the perfect small community for a farmer, but a chocolate factory and business need a more expansive and busy location to call home. In fact,Haunted Chocolatiermight need a large mapin order to succeed, as more citizens and locations mean more people to buy the player’s chocolate. But of course, a city comes with garbage, which in turn will mean more trash cans and dumpsters for the player to find. If searching the garbage is tempting in a small town, it might be downright impossible to avoid the impulse in an urban environment.
Among other things, some items players can find in the trash inStardew Valleyare:
On the other hand, the main drawback of a city setting is that it makes the possibility of foraging for ingredients much more difficult.Stardew Valleyhas tons of open landscapes for the player to hunt for seeds and berries in, butHaunted Chocolatiermight be lacking in green areas. The player is shown to have access to some behind a door in their home, but it’s also implied those locations will be more combat intensive. That leaves mostly the city for players to forage, and dumpster diving could be the solution toHaunted Chocolatier’s foraging problem. One man’s trash could become another man’s treasure.
But What Are the Consequences of Dumpster Diving?
InStardew Valley, searching the trash is just an extra option for players, but is still a taboo in the community. That’s why, if spotted looking through garbage cans, the player’sfriendship levelwith that character will decrease. The same type of punishment could be expected inHaunted Chocolatier, but to a much harsher degree. No one would want to eat chocolate sold by someone who might be using trash as ingredients. InHaunted Chocolatier, dumpster diving could not only reduce friendship, but also make the player lose customers in their shop. However, with a larger risk, there could be a larger reward.
In the fantastical setting ofHaunted Chocolatier, it’s hard to predict what might make delicious candy. The next craze in chocolate could be hiding where players least expect it, giving them reason to take the risk of looking in the trash.Haunted Chocolatier’s relationship mechanicscould also be a draw, introducing characters who, for some reason, like finding the player playing in garbage, causing their friendship to go up. IfStardew Valleyhas taught players one thing, it’s that Eric Barone pays attention to detail and loves to surprise and delight his fans. So, whileHaunted Chocolatier’s development cycle may be long, it will likely be very rewarding, perhaps in ways that wouldn’t be expected.
