Haunted Chocolatier is ConcernedApe's next game, and it's possible that it could take place in the same world as Stardew Valley. The two look stylistically similar with their charming, pixellated graphics, and some assets from Stardew Valley were seen in the Haunted Chocolatier early gameplay video, but there are some aspects that go beyond just skin-deep. ConcernedApe previously mentioned sequels or other games that he was working on set in the Stardew Valley universe, and there's reason to believe this game could be one of them.
Stardew Valley takes place in a village that blends modern-day with nature and fairy tale magic. Haunted Chocolatier takes place somewhere similar, featuring a town with a distant castle, a shop staffed by ghosts, and a forest populated with monsters. They are places where humanity's progressed far enough to have amenities like electricity, but also where daggers remain viable weapons like Stardew Valley.
On the Haunted Chocolatier website FAQ, one question asks if the game takes place in the same world as Stardew Valley. As of right now, ConcernedApe's official answer is "I’m not ready to reveal anything like that just yet." There are many opportunities for the titles to be linked, as the world outside Stardew Valley is only mentioned in passing throughout the game.
Stardew Valley Is Located In The Mysterious Ferngill Republic
Stardew Valley takes place in Pelican Town, a cozy area nestled within the Ferngill Republic. By its name, the country sounds like a place attuned to nature and contains biomes like forests, deserts, and tropical islands. The mountain ranges are especially telling; players have noticed that the lush green mountaintops seen in the Haunted Chocolatier reveal are quite similar to the ones seen in the background of Stardew Valley.
It's not uncommon for developers to reuse assets, so it could just be a coincidence. However, considering that ConcernedApe has discussed Stardew Valley's universe and that he intends to create more adventures in that world, he likely wouldn't consider using the same assets unless there was a link between it and Haunted Chocolatier. He's already working on projects in the same universe, so why wouldn't it be one of them?
Haunted Chocolatier & Stardew Valley Could Exist Within The Same Mountain Range
A large mountain range could easily span the distance between two towns like the ones featured in Stardew Valley and Haunted Chocolatier. Haunted Chocolatier's town could possibly be in a mountainous region that is frigid year-round, as every image of it so far has been covered in snow. The player is able to explore a vibrant forest, but the distance between it and the town is not yet clear.
Haunted Chocolatier Could Use Magic To Teleport Between Mountains
Making chocolate could prove difficult if the land neighboring the shop is inhospitable to Stardew Valley plant life or devoid of other resources. Perhaps to combat this, the player's mansion in Haunted Chocolatier holds an elaborate doorway that leads to a wooded mountain range. There, the player forages for chocolate ingredients.
In Haunted Chocolatier, Forage For Chocolate Ingredients In A Familiar Forest
This door looks like an enchanted passage; magic portals and teleportation are seen in Stardew Valley as well, so the metaphysics of the two worlds match up. We see the Wizard teleport about, and the player is able to use Warp Totems and other teleportation devices. These are only used at relatively short range, though, so perhaps the green gathering mountain and snowy town mountain are located fairly close to one another. During the gameplay video, some snowy mountains stick out amongst the sea of green, so perhaps the player's home is located there.
Teleportation is just one of many magical elements seen in Stardew Valley. Monsters of all sorts exist in the world, some capable of casting offensive magic spells. Both the Wizard and witch can also cast spells in addition to brewing potions. Considering all that, a few spirits floating around a chocolate shop feel appropriate. Forest sprites named Junimos appear throughout Stardew Valley, and their familiar friendliness seems to be reflected in the shopkeeping ghosts of Haunted Chocolatier.
Even if Haunted Chocolatier isn't located among the same mountains, there are other possibilities. Characters in Stardew Valley reference a much larger settlement named Zuzu City, and across the neighboring Gem Sea is the Gotoro Empire, a country that's at war with the Ferngill Republic. In the Haunted Chocolatier reveal video, a townsperson named Maddie asks the player character what it's like to live in the big city. Moving from the big city to a small town to plant crops on a farm, or in this case, make chocolate, is a common trope, but it's possible that what she's referring to could be Zuzu City.
The most basic of fantasy enemies, the slime, had its own species in the world of Stardew Valley. In the Haunted Chocolatier gameplay trailer, players noticed the same familiar green blobs. Maybe they're creatures from the same region of the world, but they seem like a resilient pest, so it's likely that they're common throughout the Stardew Valley universe.
Haunted Chocolatier Has Stardew Valley Slimes
Haunted Chocolatier looks as though it will have a stronger focus on the action aspect of the game compared to Stardew Valley. It seems like Pelican Town's Adventurer's Guild could have a branch in this area, as they could issue requests to hunt monsters. Both Stardew Valley and Haunted Chocolatier have a forge for players to visit, so it is likely that weapons can be purchased or upgraded there.
The player character is seen battling slimes with a stick, which seems to be the most basic of sword types. Similar weapons are used in Stardew Valley, although in this case, the player wields a bow instead of a slingshot to fight monstrous birds at long range. There is also a monster that resembles a bush that hasn't been seen in Stardew Valley, so perhaps it's unique to this new region in Haunted Chocolatier.
Players enchanted by Stardew Valley's laid-back pixel world are already looking forward to returning there in another game. Even if Haunted Chocolatier isn't in the same universe, it still appears to have a similar mood, theme, and style, so fans of ConcernedApe will likely enjoy it regardless. There is undoubtedly still plenty of time before release, so more information should be coming as development continues.
Source: ConcernedApe