Earlier this month, renowned indie developer ConcernedApe (aka Eric Barone) took to Twitter to announce the development of his new game, Haunted Chocolatier. Yesterday, just a little over a week after announcing the new game, ConcernedApe returned to Twitter to share another facet of the highly anticipated 8-bit adventure. This week, fans received information on the new combat system for the game.
In his developer diary, ConcernedApe went on to detail what combat in the new game would look like. Because this game will have a greater focus on combat, Barone wants to make sure that it will be “very fun, satisfying, and engaging, while also appropriately fitting into the big picture.” He went on to reassure fans that he was not “copy and pasting” the combat from Stardew Valley, and was developing and animating the entire thing from scratch.
As seen in the image above, one of the many new features this game will have is that of shields. Players can use shields in the game to block most attacks, but not all. Additionally, when said attacks are blocked, there is a chance to leave the enemy stunned, allowing the players to both attack them much quicker and potentially inflict more damage. This mechanic is meant to reward the more cautious, patient players of the game. That being said, players can still very well charge into enemies and defeat them way quicker than players who wait and use a shield.
ConcernedApe also went on to reveal that there will be more off-hand items besides shields in the game for players to use. These other items will be meant to complement different play styles. What items these will be, however, has been left up for speculation.
The developer’s diary entry was finished off with Barone explaining how the game is still very much a work in progress. He called attention to the different sword swing animations that he has implemented, stating that minute changes like that will be normal as he continues developing the game. He explained that he will not rest nor release the game until he personally is 100% satisfied with it. Everything is on the right track so far, but he felt the need to make that clear. This echoes the same mentality he had during his development of Stardew Valley, in which Barone delayed the game from his estimated 2015 release date to February of 2016.
Although the game has no release date, fan excitement continues to grow. It is clear that whenever this game does come out, it will likely be a success.