Venba Review

thesixthaxis.com:

Food is a core part of human civilisation. At a base level, it provides sustenance and energy for us to keep going, but it’s so much more than that. In all cultures around the world, food plays a crucial role in creating bonds and experiences, links back to our pasts, as well as providing a link to neighbouring cultures. Within South Asian cultures, food is part of the heart of relationships as mothers, fathers, aunts, uncles, brothers, sisters, cousins, and friends all cook together while strengthening personal relationships. Venba explores one such relationship with a mother, father, and son from a Tamil background with themes and situations that would be familiar to all children of immigrants, especially those from South Asian backgrounds.

This game tells the story of Venba, a woman who has left India along with her husband, Paavalan, to start a new life in Canada in the 1980s. It is a tough start, with both characters struggling to understand the new world they are in and to find work. Early on they consider returning to India, but once they have a son called Kavin they decide to stay. The story revolves around the struggles the family face, such as the clash of cultures as the child of immigrants is trying to navigate two worlds, while the parents find it difficult to understand why their child will not embrace their cultural roots more.

Venba highlights issues immigrants and their children face, such as actions that other them or show a lack of care. What is in a name? Everything. Your name is your identity, a link to your family, and your roots. Venba shows a situation many will be familiar with, such as having their names spelt incorrectly on ID cards because it is unfamiliar to the person making the card, and they