Haunted Chocolatier's Boss Battles Set It Apart From Stardew Valley

gamerant.com:

Upon release, Stardew Valley was a runaway success, and has gone on to sell over 15 million units as of September 2021. Naturally, expectations are high for the developer's next offering, and Haunted Chocolatier will look to maintain the high bar set by the 2016 farming simulator. The efforts of Eric 'ConcernedApe' Barone have changed how the industry sees solo-developed games, as the lengthy development cycle of Stardew Valley with regular updates about its progression became the new standard for indie creators.

Though its aesthetics would lead players to believe that Haunted Chocolatier is a spiritual successor to Stardew Valley, there are a handful of significant changes to the formula. More emphasis on fantasy elements, the stress of customer service, and combat will be far more in-depth this time around. This looks like a ConcernedApe title, but more intricate battle mechanics will be important now that boss encounters are included, and as such the gameplay of Haunted Chocolatier will likely differ from what was present in Stardew Valley.

Games to Play While Waiting for Haunted Chocolatier

Stardew Valley is a farming simulator first and foremost, but there's a myriad of things that can be done to kill time. Growing crops, wooing the local townsfolk, and fishing at one of the valley's rivers or lakes are all part of the fun. When combat is on players' minds, the mines offer hours of entertainment. Overcoming the different monsters in each of its 120 floors is a challenge, but the simple combat mechanics always make it feel like reaching the next checkpoint is as much about luck as it is skill. Boss battles would have been pointless, as the player never has the tools needed to make a fight enjoyable, and combat isn't a