Game guides / Order of the Sinking Star
Order of the Sinking Star Beginner Guide
Written for the launch build (October 8, 2026). This guide teaches you how to approach the game; it does not contain puzzle solutions.
Order of the Sinking Star is director Jonathan Blow's first game since The Witness: a grid-based puzzle adventure with more than 1,000 handcrafted, interconnected puzzles spread across four expansive worlds and a shared overworld hub. The game trusts you completely. No tooltip explains a character's ability, no pop-up states a rule; the first puzzle simply hands you a grid and waits. The structure is non-linear on purpose, so when one puzzle has you stuck, you can walk away, explore a different world, and return later with fresh eyes.
Platforms: PC via Steam, PlayStation 5, and Nintendo Switch 2 (also streamable through GeForce NOW). Developer Thekla, Inc., publisher Arc Games. Launch price $29.99, with three 10 percent off Steam bundles pairing the game with the soundtrack, Animal Well, or Mewgenics. It is Steam Deck Verified with full controller support, and demo progress carries over into the full game on PC (saves do not transfer between platforms). Early reception is strongly positive: 97 percent on Steam from over 600 launch-weekend reviews, with Metacritic scores of 83 on PC, 86 on PS5, and 85 on Switch 2.
How the game is structured
Four worlds, each with its own characters, rules, dangers, and secrets, plus a shared overworld hub that connects them. Every world introduces its own mechanics, and the hub lets you move between worlds freely. The structure is deliberately open: a player stuck in one world can cross the hub and work in another, then return later. Reviewers describe it as four puzzle games fused into one, with each new mechanic building on the last.
The story has a full voice cast: Emily O'Brien as the Queen, Liam O'Brien as the Warrior, Darin De Paul as the Wizard, Anjali Bhimani as the Bard, Erica Luttrell as the Sailor, and Matthew Waterson as the Druid, with a special appearance by Jonathan Blow himself.
Before you start: the mindset this game rewards
If you played The Witness, you know the drill. If not, here is the one thing to internalize: the game never teaches you a rule directly. Experimentation is the tutorial. Try everything, watch what changes, and build your understanding from observation. Players who try to brute-force a puzzle without understanding its rule stall out; players who treat each new room as an experiment keep moving.
Second: being stuck is part of the design. The open structure exists so you never have to grind against one puzzle. Take breaks. Short sessions beat long slogs; players consistently report that the solution to a hard puzzle appears the next day, not the next hour.
Your first session, step by step
1. Learn the language of the grids
Everything happens on grids, but each world speaks a different dialect. Spend your first hour in each new world just solving easy panels and noticing what repeats. Do not rush past the simple puzzles; they are teaching you the rules by example.
2. When stuck for twenty minutes, leave
This is the most important habit in the game. The hub is always there. A puzzle you have stared at for twenty minutes will look different after an hour in another world. The non-linear design is a tool, so use it.
3. Take notes
The game gives you no journal of rules. Pen and paper (or a phone note) pays off: sketch a rule when you figure it out, note which world introduced what. Later puzzles combine mechanics across worlds, and your own reference sheet becomes the walkthrough.
4. Listen to the characters
The voice cast is not set dressing. Dialogue from the Queen, the Warrior, the Wizard, the Bard, the Sailor, and the Druid frames each world's rules and stakes. Players on Steam single out the voice acting as a highlight; it also helps you remember which world taught you what.
5. Set up your controls and display first
Full controller support is in, and the game is Steam Deck Verified. On Deck, reviewers report the game runs smoothest on lower graphics presets; the overworld map view in particular can stutter or drop frames at higher settings, especially zoomed out. If the map feels laggy, drop the preset before assuming anything is broken.
6. If you played the demo, check your saves
Progress from the free Steam demo carries over into the full game on PC, so your solved puzzles are already waiting. Cross-platform saves do not transfer: a PS5 or Switch 2 copy starts fresh.
Performance and known issues
Launch reviews are overwhelmingly positive, but a few technical notes come up consistently. The overworld map view can stutter at higher graphics settings; one reviewer confirmed the game runs great on Steam Deck, with two others noting it is laggy on high presets but smooth on lower ones. A couple of minor launch hiccups (one reported startup crash) surfaced but nothing widespread. The game runs on Thekla's custom-built engine, and reviewers note it performs surprisingly well on older hardware.
Sources: SteamDB (app 499170), publisher launch announcements via the Steam community page, launch coverage from gamerheadlines, keengamer's PC review, boilingsteam's Steam Deck roundup, and the publisher's global release schedule. Written for the October 8, 2026 launch build; systems may change with updates.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does Order of the Sinking Star cost?
The launch price is $29.99. Three Steam launch bundles are 10 percent off: the game plus the original soundtrack, plus Animal Well, or plus Mewgenics. The soundtrack is also sold separately.
What platforms is Order of the Sinking Star on?
PC via Steam, PlayStation 5, and Nintendo Switch 2, plus NVIDIA GeForce NOW streaming. It is Steam Deck Verified with full controller support.
Does Order of the Sinking Star demo progress carry over?
Yes, on PC: solved puzzles from the free Steam demo carry into the full game. Cross-platform saves do not transfer, so PS5 or Switch 2 copies start fresh.
Is Order of the Sinking Star like The Witness?
It is Jonathan Blow's first game since The Witness (2016) and shares the design philosophy: no tutorials, no handholding, rules learned by observation. The setting differs: a grid-based adventure across four magical worlds plus an overworld hub, with more than 1,000 puzzles.
What do I do when I am stuck on a puzzle?
Leave it and play elsewhere. The game is deliberately non-linear: cross the overworld hub into another world and work there. Players consistently report that stuck puzzles solve themselves after a break, and later puzzles often teach you the rule you were missing.
How long is Order of the Sinking Star?
Thekla has not published an official hour count. With more than 1,000 handcrafted puzzles across four worlds, reviewers describe it as a very long game; one review calls it a puzzle marathon.