YMMV / Venba

• Awesome Music: The original soundtrack by Alpha Something evokes Tamilian music of the years where the game is set perfectly, but standout tracks include Nee Dhaane and Chellakutty. The one licensed song, Casteless Collective's Tik Tik, selected to reflect modern Tamilian music, also is excellent.
• So Short, It Rocks: While the game can be completed in under 90 minutes, it has Awesome Art, a deeply moving story about the immigrant experience and growing up, and simple yet engaging puzzles to an excellent Tamil soundtrack.
• Tear Jerker: Several parts of the game really hit you in the feels, particularly if you relate to the characters and their experiences.
  • Chapter 3 has Venba worried about Paavalan not having returned home from work, having a pleasant conversation with Kavin only to turn into anguish upon finding her husband, who has seemingly been attacked.
  • Chapter 4's ending is fairly sad, with Kavin lashing out against his mother for wanting to pack some biriyani for him.
  • All of Chapter 5. The chapter starts by visually informing us that Paavalan has passed away, and Venba now lives alone. A message from Kavin telling her that he plans to drop by lights her face up, and she immediately goes to the kitchen to prepare a massive spread for them; the end of the chapter is pure Food Porn. She then waits till late at night, only to receive a message from Kavin saying that he cannot make it as something has come up. Venba is heartbroken, and we get another shot of the food, now an indicator of her broken hope of meeting her son.
    • After the cooking, when Venba is waiting for Kavin, she looks at her phone, and the player can see her messages with him. It is obvious that Venba is trying hard to keep in contact with him, and Kavin keeps pushing her away, rarely responding to her messages and often replying with single-word responses when he does. It is a reminder of just how far apart the two of them are at this point.
    • The quote at the start of the chapter really hammers it in.
  Longing for those who have forsaken you diminishes the beauty of the soul.