"Venba" is a video game that tells the story of an Indian mother who moves to Canada. Players follow her journey through food.
Unlike typical cooking games, "Venba" focuses on South Indian cuisine using puzzle mechanics. Creator Abhijeeth (Abhi) Swaminathan says this approach highlights the recipes themselves.
The game has a cozy feel with a 90s cartoon style and a Tamil soundtrack. Players connect with family stories as a mother and son try to bring back old recipes with their own twist.
We're a new kind of news feed.
Regular news is designed to drain you. We're a non-profit built to restore you. Every story we publish is scored for impact, progress, and hope.
Start Your News DetoxA Mother's Journey Through Food
Visai Games, based in Toronto, developed "Venba." The game follows Venba and her husband after they move from India to Canada. They have a son named Kavin. Venba wants to teach Kavin to cook, but pages from her recipe book are missing, and instructions are lost.
Players must solve puzzles to recreate the recipes. As Kavin grows up, he works to reconnect with his South Asian heritage.
Swaminathan told Game Developer that food often connects first-generation immigrants with their children. He wanted to explore He saw food as a constant that could show how the family changed over time in Canada.
In the game, Kavin speaks English, while his mother, Venba, speaks Tamil. Swaminathan intentionally chose a mother as the main character. He also wanted to show the gap between immigrant parents and their children.
Bridging Cultures and Generations
Swaminathan noted to NPR that many stories about immigrants focus on their struggles or parents pushing their culture. He wanted to explore why culture is important to them. He asked what they sacrificed, feeling this part of the story was often untold.
"Venba" is now available on Steam and has many positive reviews. Players have praised Swaminathan's heartfelt efforts.
Swaminathan shared that his producer believed the game would make people call their moms. He said he would be very happy if that happened. Since the game's release, many people have contacted him to say they called their mothers right after finishing the game.
