Haunted Chocolatier is expected to evolve several of Stardew Valley's core mechanics. Though not a direct sequel, Haunted Chocolatier place in the life sim genre is defined by its connection to Stardew Valley, via their shared creator Eric Barone, AKA ConcernedApe. As such, the two ostensibly share a number of important similarities, from their pixelated art styles to their NPC relationship mechanics.