Venba is described as a narrative-driven cooking video game, but to my surprise, it was much more than that. Beneath the colorful graphics lies a game with soul and heart-wrenching moments that will make you cry. I played and completed Venba via Game Pass on Xbox Series X in about 2 hours (yes, it's a super short game), and here's my review.

Venba is about a Tamil immigrant family trying to survive in Canada in the 80s and 90s. The protagonist of this game is Venba, a sweet lady whose journey as a mother who wants to give her family the best life possible will eventually tug at your heartstrings. Soon, Venba and her husband Pavalam have a child named Kavin.

What connects the parents to their roots in India is food – delicious, delicious food. But because Kavin was born and raised in Canada, things are different from his perspective. I won’t give much away, but this is basically the core of the game’s simple story.

Players will emotionally connect with Venba and empathize with her as she grows older and her son grows up in a foreign land. I found myself quietly sobbing toward the end, all because it’s a completely realistic scenario that most parents go through. If you’re someone who can relate to the story firsthand (as an empty nester, an immigrant parent, or a child of a child), this game will stick with you for a while.