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’
Developer ConcernedApe has clarified that Haunted Chocolatier, the follow-up to Stardew Valley, will blend town management with action RPG gameplay. While maintaining its identity as a “town game,” the project will prioritize adventuring, monster combat, and boss fights over farming and resource management.
The game is specifically designed for players who enjoy the dungeon-diving and mining aspects of Stardew Valley rather than its core farming loop. Core gameplay mechanics will focus on exploring, acquiring equipment, and progression through combat and power-ups. ConcernedApe emphasized that the action-oriented gameplay direction reflects the developer’s own preferences, noting that Stardew Valley playthroughs often become exercises in optimization rather than long-term engagement with town management systems.