Venba

Played On: PC Game Pass

Also available on PC, Switch, PlayStation and Xbox

Venba is a cool little Indie game that blends storytelling, family, and Indian cuisine into one sweet experience. Created by Visai Studios, it's all about the life of Venba, a Tamil woman juggling her Indian roots and Canadian surroundings through cooking and heartfelt life experiences.

This game is fairly short in terms of other visual novels or point-and-click types of games but doesn’t feel like it needed to be longer.

Being an Indian myself, the story of Venba living in a foreign land to start a fresh life but also trying to provide the best for her family especially her kid, Kavin, is something that I do see a lot often. It might be just me, but I found the story a bit cliche as well.

Nevertheless. the story’s like a rollercoaster of cultural identity, immigration, and keeping traditions alive.

The biggest positive takeaway for me was that the game does Indian culture and cuisine justice. From recipes to ingredients and cooking techniques, it's a cultural immersion. You'll feel like a chef on a culinary adventure.

As for the art style, the 2D hand-drawn visuals are a treat. They capture the essence of India (and the Tamilian vibe) beautifully. The music and sounds amp up the atmosphere, too.

But here’s what I didn’t enjoy about it;

You'll spend a lot of time in cooking mini-games, and while they're fun at first, they can get a bit repetitive. The game's pace can drag a bit, with lengthy dialogues and cooking sessions.

Once you've finished the story, there's not much pulling you back in. Your choices don't make much of a difference, which is a missed opportunity.

TSHC SCORE: 6/10

CONCLUSION:

Venba serves up a heaping helping of culture and emotion, but it could use some tweaks in the gameplay and could have been a bit longer. Maybe. If you really enjoy minimal interactive games like this and have a love for food, Venba is a must-play. But if you are a casual player like me, I would suggest waiting for a sale or just playing it on Game Pass.

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OpenCritic Rating: