Published , by TJ Denzer
Published , by TJ Denzer
Home is where the heart is, and the fastest way to the heart is said to be through the stomach. This is at the core of indie studio Visai Games’ upcoming game about Indian immigrants and culinary culture. We recently caught up to the lead designer of the game, known online as Ahbi, to talk about how this game came together and what it attempts to convey in its wholesome design.
Venba is unique from a large number of games that tackle the topic of immigration to a new land. Where many focus on the children and second-generation immigrants, Venba instead focuses on the parents and first-generation. It’s a story of a family struggling to find comfort in a new land, where not everyone in the family feels good about the changes, and the story of how homeland food brings them together.
One of the most important things to Ahbi in telling this story was that he wanted to properly convey Indian cooking, the meals that make a family feel at home, and how they are prepared. To that end, Visai Games is actually creating a cookbook that will accompany Venba, including many of the recipes that are utilized in-game. He hopes that players will explore Indian cooking even outside the game and learn more about the culture behind it.
Visai Games is hoping to launch Venba in summer 2023 on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, and PC. Want more videos like this Venba interview? Be sure to head over to our YouTube channels at Shacknews and GamerHubTV where you’ll find all of our video reviews, interviews, gameplay, unboxing, and more on the latest video games, technology, and toys.