ConcernedApe’sHaunted Chocolatiermight still be a long way off, but one of his most recent updates about the game shows a sign of good things to come. With the game set to include heavy combat, one development screenshot suggests thatHaunted Chocolatierwill allow players the freedom to choose the best way to fight.
Although development has been slow, Eric Barone has recently confirmed that he is doubling down on his efforts to bringHaunted Chocolatierto his fans. TheStardew Valleydeveloper has confirmed that work on his previous game has taken most of his time, but that he has fully shifted, for the time being, to completing his next title. Much ofHaunted Chocolatier’s information is still a mystery, but it has been confirmed that the game will feature a much more robust combat system thanStardew Valley, showing a new side of the cozy genre. In hisDecember 2024Haunted Chocolatierupdate, ConcernedApe shared a few in-development screenshots, including his plans for the game’s inventory system. It seems that players will have a much more involved clothing and equipment system in this game, with 10 item slots allowing them to fully customize their character and fighting style.
Haunted Chocolatier’s Planned Inventory System Speaks Volumes About Player Freedom
As someone who helped revitalize the life sim genre, ConcernedApe has proven that he knows what audiences want to see from his games. His decision to include greatercombat promises big plans forHaunted Chocolatier, and how it will set itself apart fromStardew Valley.
While the two share some obvious DNA,Haunted Chocolatierwill likely take more inspiration from action RPGsthan farming sims, ushering players into a different experience than they’re used to from a cozy game. The decision to include a combat focus may have been a curveball, but Barone’s plans for the inventory system, which he’s stated aren’t final, show that he understands how players think when building a character based on their fighting style.
Eric Barone notes that “all screenshots are ‘work in progress’ and likely to change before release” in his post that first revealed the teased player inventory system.
In RPGs, players usually like to design a build for their character based on the role they’re playing or the weapons they’re using. With the current version of the game’s inventory, it should be easy for players todesign any type of build inHaunted Chocolatier. Six different clothing slots suggest that the player’s look will be highly customizable, and if clothing consists of armor or can be enchanted to give extra effects, it can also influence the viability of certain weapons. Even if clothing doesn’t influence combat, the two slots that show rings suggest the availability of jewelry or trinkets that likely will. And, of course, a weapon and shield slot shows that both offensive and defensive strategies are being considered, so players can choose how they want their combat to work.
What Else Can Players Expect From Haunted Chocolatier’s Combat
The December batch of screenshots also included one of a player using a sword to battle an army of slime-like enemies. The slimes are in addition to the bees and new plant-like enemies that have also been seen in promotional materials for the game, showing the beginnings of a great variety of enemy types that players might need to adapt to. The high volume of attackers also suggests that mass encounters could happen at any time. It’s clear thatHaunted Chocolatier’s action RPG rootsare a heavy influence, and will shine through in the completed game.
ConcernedApe has confirmed thatthe release date ofHaunted Chocolatieris probably a long way off, but that does give him plenty of time to fine-tune all the game’s systems, including its combat, relationships, crafting, and more. It’s clear that the combat elements of the game are shaping up well, but they are still just one part of the equation and are still subject to change as needed. It’s important to remember that all aspects ofHaunted Chocolatierneed to work in harmony to be a success, but at least on its combat side, it seems the game is shaping up to be the next evolution of cozy life sims.
