As strange as it may sound,Haunted Chocolatiermay have the tools to make a notoriously hated kind of video game quest work in its favor. After the success ofStardew Valley, it’s hard to underestimate what ConcernedApe may pull off with his next game. After all,Haunted Chocolatierwill be far from a retread of old ground, even if it shares some ofStardew Valley’s mechanics. In fact, it can feature one kind of challenge thatStardew Valleydidn’t. Not only that, but it could take that same notorious gameplay twist and make it work in its favor.
While thegameplay ofHaunted Chocolatierhas only briefly been shown off so far, there is already good reason for fans to look forward to it. Early gameplay footage points towards a game with a similar sort of charm toStardew Valley, which should not be much of a surprise. However,Haunted Chocolatierhas its own vibe in a few different ways. Its chocolate shop is a big departure fromStardew Valley’s farm, especially since the player is selling their creations themselves, and the ghosts add a good bit of supernatural intrigue. It should be interesting to see where elseHaunted Chocolatiercan go.
Haunted Chocolatier Could Make Escort Quests Into a Valuable Asset
Escort Quests in Video Games Have a Notorious Reputation
Among thequests inStardew Valley, one category that the game never went into was escort quests. Escort quests have existed in multiple genres, and involve the player having to guide a character through a typically dangerous area. Historically, escort quests have proven quite unpopular, with the character being escorted frequently being weak and requiring the player to be extremely vigilant when protecting them. It tends to throw a wrench in the gameplay formula that complicates things without adding much in the way of fun. Despite offering a gameplay change, most escort quests end up being quite disliked, even in generally good games.
The closest thatStardew Valleycame to an escort quest was playing Journey of the Prairie King with Abigail in a Heart Event, which only required the player to beat the game’s first level.
Haunted Chocolatier’s Gameplay Design Could Make Escort Quests Manageable
Despite these issues, themechanics ofHaunted Chocolatiercould give it a chance to make some good escort missions.Stardew Valley’s combat was simple, but worked very well, perfectly fitting the game’s combat scenarios, and ConcernedApe confirmed a greater focus on combat and its related mechanics inHaunted Chocolatier. Its approachable style of combat could be a good fit for an escort quest, sinceStardew Valleywasn’t the type of game to excessively swarm players with enemies, therefore making it less likely for players to get overwhelmed in escort missions. Any improvements thatHaunted Chocolatiermakes to the formula would presumably only help.
Escort Quests Could Help Build Relationships in Haunted Chocolatier
Escort missions could also be useful informing relationships inHaunted Chocolatier. SinceStardew Valleyalready had missions offered by various characters,Haunted Chocolatiercould occasionally mix escort missions into the mix. An NPC could need the player’s help warding off monsters in order to reach a specific place. Upon succeeding, the player would receive a boost in their relationship with the character in question as a reward. Of course, the escort mission itself would still need to be reasonably designed. However, if done well, it would be an excellent addition toHaunted Chocolatier’s new array of quests.
While escort quests aren’t widely liked,Haunted Chocolatiermay be able to make them work. Betweenupgraded combat mechanics inHaunted Chocolatier, good quest design and length, and meaningful rewards, they could be well worth the player’s effort. After all, withHaunted Chocolatierbeing developed by someone who made farming chores fun inStardew Valley, making a notorious video game trope rewarding isn’t out of the question.Haunted Chocolatiercould surprise players with some unexpectedly enjoyable escort quests.
Haunted Chocolatier
WHERE TO PLAY
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.
