Highlights
- Haunted Chocolatier, a new game by ConcernedApe, resembles Stardew Valley in several ways, even with big differences in its combat and core gameplay loop.
- Fans speculate about a connection between Haunted Chocolatier and Stardew Valley, and if its true, the latter’s hidden war lore could come into play.
- If the two titles are connected, Haunted Chocolatier could explore the Ferngill Republic-Gotoro Empire conflict in detail, revealing new lore or progressing the conflict in a meaningful way.
ConcernedApe is hard at work developing and designing his latest game, Haunted Chocolatier from scratch. Based on the official announcement video and screenshots he’s posted on his official blog, the game looks a lot like his acclaimed first title: Stardew Valley; from the sprites to the setting. This isn’t a bad thing at all, as many fans adore the developer’s penchant for a retro pixel art style and top-down gameplay. However, this striking resemblance does make fans speculate about Haunted Chocolatier possibly sharing the same world as Stardew Valley. If it does, its story could tackle a major conflict that was seldom discussed in the previous game.
Haunted Chocolatier was officially unveiled in a gameplay video in 2021, and it showed what the players’ day-to-day activities would probably look like. The developer stated that this game will focus more on combat compared to its predecessor. Its gameplay loop will also be different, as the player will likely spend most of their time foraging for ingredients, making chocolate, and selling their confections. Judging from the game’s trailer, blog posts, and interviews with ConcernedApe so far, the game will likely have some deep lore, and if that lore connects to Stardew Valley, one interesting conflict will likely be brought up: the Ferngill Republic-Gotoro Empire war.
Stardew Valley 1.6 Makes One Haunted Chocolatier Feature Seem Inevitable
There are plenty of features that are likely to make their way over from Stardew Valley to Haunted Chocolatier, but one of them feels inevitable.
Explaining the Hidden War in Stardew Valley That Haunted Chocolatier Could Discuss
The world outside Stardew Valley’s region is rarely discussed in-game, but some characters do mention two nations that are at war with each other:
- The Ferngill Republic: This is the country where Stardew Valley resides. This is subtly referenced in Harvey’s medical practice license provided by the Ferngill Republic Health Authority and the Spirit’s Eve host saying that communities across the Ferngill Republic celebrate the holiday. Not much is known about these other settlements.
- Gotoro Empire: The only pieces of information about this nation are that it is located across the Gem Sea and that it’s at war with the Ferngill Republic. The Traveling Cart sells products smuggled from this country and Ferngill Republic soldier Kent was once a prisoner of war of the Gotoro Empire.
The Ferngill Republic – Gotoro Empire War isn’t explicitly shown on screen, as it will likely ruin Stardew Valley’s idyllic atmosphere. Instead, it’s described mostly through conversations with Kent and his son, Sam. Before Kent comes home, Sam will talk about how his dad is a soldier fighting against the Gotoro Empire and how ruthless the opposing country is. Once Kent comes back in Year 2, the player will hear him talk about being in a Gotoro prison camp when they gift him something he hates.
Other references to the Ferngill Republic – Gotoro Empire conflict include figures in Harvey’s bedroom, which feature designs of fighter planes from both countries. The Museum’s Library also contains books about the history of the Gotoro Empire and debates regarding the necessity of going to war with them. Unfortunately, the player can’t read the books’ contents.
How Haunted Chocolatier Could Continue to Chronicle the Ferngill Republic and Gotoro Empire’s War
Many fans are speculating that the Haunted Chocolatier’s mountain ranges share a striking resemblance to Stardew Valley, which means that it could be set in another Ferngill Republic community or region. It could even be in the Gotoro Empire, for all anyone knows. Either way, such conflicts have lasting effects on a country’s development and stability, and it would be interesting to see it reflected on the environment of Haunted Chocolatier.
If the game takes place chronologically before Stardew Valley, it could discuss the events leading up to the conflict. If Haunted Chocolatier happens further in the future, it could subtly show the effects that war could have on a nation, like food shortages and higher prices due to inflation. The game could even highlight how companies like the Joja Corporation (if it exists here) profit off such violent conflicts through questlines.
Haunted Chocolatier
Haunted Chocolatier is an upcoming adventure game from Stardew Valley creator ConcernedApe (Eric Barone). The game is currently set to feature a lush explorable world, chocolate making and cooking, a spooky theme, and more. There is currently no release date or time period for the game.