Venba is definitely one of those games that you shouldn't judge based on the cover. When you look at the picture it displays a small happy family that perhaps bonds over cooking a meal together, not a poor immigrant family that deals with racism and the struggles of adapting to an entirely different culture.

This game's story is touching and often times very sad, but speaking for myself only, I'm getting a little tired of the indie template in these kinds of games. It's like the only thing they want you to feel is sadness. I think it's okay to want the audience to feel a little heartache when seeing the characters struggle or when they mourn the loss of something or someone. Sadness can make us relate and empathize with others. In a way it makes us feel human and that's not necessarily a bad thing, but it's not the only emotion I want to experience when playing a game of this genre.

The cooking portion of the game was alright, but it could have been a lot better. It felt more like a puzzle game than a cooking simulator which isn't a problem, it's the design. You have to piece parts of the recipe together through what little information the game gives you, kind of like trial and error. Sometimes the recipes are easy and other times just annoying. The game does give you the option to receive hints if you're stuck so that's a bit of a plus.

Overall:

Venba is a perfect fit for Gamepass, but it's not a game that I'd own or ever replay. I will say, this game did make me want to try Indian food though.

Pros:
+interesting art style
+catchy music

Cons:
-story could have been better
-puzzles for the cooking segments were annoying at times