"[Haunted Chocolatier] is still what I call a town game. But it’s more of an action RPG—the main focus is more about adventuring, finding equipment and getting more powerful. There are monsters, there are boss fights. It's for the people in Stardew Valley that go into the mines. That's what I do, honestly," via GQ Magazine.
And just like that, I'm excited for Haunted Chocolatier—I'm a bit of an action RPG freak, and while I do like town management games, I just don't think I really have the DNA to play them long term. Every single playthrough of Stardew Valley has become an effort to try and min-max my contributions to the Community Center, turning them into a stressful battle against my own yearning for efficiency.
So a town-based game, like Stardew Valley, that's more focused on the combat side of things? Brilliant, sign me up. Give me something to optimize that doesn't require a spreadsheet or calendar management, and I'll be a happy camper.
What's interesting about Barone's confession here is that it's not exactly something he's done before—there's a gulf of difference in the design philosophies that make a solid action RPG versus the ones that make a cute and cosy farming sim. He seems a little worked up about making sure it lands, too.
In the GQ Magazine interview quoted above, Barone says: "I've been struggling with that [following up Stardew Valley] because I really want to recapture that feeling that I had when I was making Stardew Valley. Back then, there was no audience, there was no precedent. Everyone's watching me, and if I don't do things a certain way, it might disappoint millions of people."
In other words, the pressure's on. Though in my estimation, being aware you might slip up—and careful not to do so—is more than half the battle. Self-torture might be going a smidge too far, though.
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Harvey's history with games started when he first begged his parents for a World of Warcraft subscription aged 12, though he's since been cursed with Final Fantasy 14-brain and a huge crush on G'raha Tia. He made his start as a freelancer, writing for websites like Techradar, The Escapist, Dicebreaker, The Gamer, Into the Spine—and of course, PC Gamer. He'll sink his teeth into anything that looks interesting, though he has a soft spot for RPGs, soulslikes, roguelikes, deckbuilders, MMOs, and weird indie titles. He also plays a shelf load of TTRPGs in his offline time. Don't ask him what his favourite system is, he has too many.