A delicious RPG that will make you very hungry

Action-based games are often over-defined. Story lines that take hours, side quests that could be their own game, huge worlds that require complex maps to explore, and action so big that you start forgetting people’s names. This is part of what makes the game such a great experience, but it can also be intimidating, especially if you don’t have time to spare. Dosa Divason the other hand, it manages to capture a lot of that feeling in a package that lasts less than 10 hours. And it does it with confidence and with a story that moves well between big themes and personal drama. There is only one major drawback: The game will make you very hungry.

Dosa Divas it takes place in small towns that have been controlled by a single organization that has made cooking illegal, making it isolated from its own food. This is difficult not only economically, but also culturally, as these places all have a deep history related to food. What will the people living in the fishing village do when they can no longer fish? You play as two sisters named Samara and Amani who team up to stop this evil organization, which is run by their younger sister Lina. So it’s a story about saving the world from capitalism, a story about the importance of food culture, and a story about how difficult families can be. Also, there are clear suits, including those in your party throughout the game

This all looks like a fairly standard RPG. You travel around the world fighting enemies – they range from unpleasant lawyers to, well, your parents – developing and becoming stronger along the way. There is a time for fighting that remembers Mario and Luigi where you have to hit the button at the right time to defend or attack, and Dosa Divas it adds some fun features like cooking, which allows you to create healing items and feed hungry people by completing a short game. It’s a fun twist on the standard “thing” in an RPG, and reminds me a bit and take a break from cooking Final Fantasy XV. The game’s beautiful graphics also make the food look delicious, so I can’t recommend playing it. Dosa Divas on an empty stomach.

What’s amazing about this game is that it packs all of this – a fun world, fun gameplay, a rich story – into a small package with smart controls. You learn several skills during the game, for example, but they are all important on the battlefield. Likewise, while you can change your character every time you level up, you can choose between improving their strength, health, and special abilities. This gives you the same satisfaction of playing an RPG without all the hassle. And best of all: no grinding!

This story hides its depth in the same way. On top of that, it’s a sometimes difficult, well-reasoned critique of capitalism. You’ll hear a growl in your stomach alerting you that someone needs food, and you’ll be able to deal with corporate propaganda to raise your profile in every town. But Dosa Divas It is very good when it comes to people. Through flashbacks and candid conversations, you learn the complex family relationships that define Samara, Amani, and Lina, and how food has become a part of their lives, beyond just being a source of food. There are no villains or heroes in this game. The fight between the boss and their parents is a very important thing, because it feels like a real conflict, between people who love each other but can’t always accept how others change and grow. It may hit close to home for some players. Except for the mech suits, of course.

In many ways Dosa Divas and careful planning. It’s a drama that keeps people interested, and a fresh and personal story that isn’t afraid to be silly or tackle big topics. The great thing about this game is that it can be all of those things without feeling bloated or ineffective. It takes as much time as it needs to – which is a good thing, because now I have a lot of baking to do.

_{Dosa Divas available on PC, Switch, and PS5.}