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<p>A decade ago, developer Jonathan Blow unveiled <em>The Witness</em>, a title widely celebrated as one of the most masterful puzzle games ever crafted. While he hasn't released a full project since, Blow has been far from idle. He has been pouring his energy into <em>Order of the Sinking Star</em>, an ambitious new puzzle odyssey. Yet, his return is complicated; controversial social media commentary has led several collaborators associated with the game to publicly distance themselves from him.</p>
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<p>It is a regrettable shadow to cast over such an intriguing project, especially given that the broader team at Thekla has clearly engineered something special. Players can judge the quality for themselves starting Monday, June 15, when a <a href="https://x.com/Jonathan_Blow/status/2064699802886255023" target="_blank">free Steam Next Fest demo</a> arrives—a sampler that Blow claims is more substantial than most full-priced puzzle titles. My brief hands-on time during Summer Game Fest left me impressed; it feels less like a singular game and more like a curated, high-effort celebration of the entire block-pushing sub-genre. While Blow’s name is front and center, this project is clearly the product of a much wider creative collective.</p>
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<p>At its core, <em>Order of the Sinking Star</em> is a Sokoban-style experience, focusing on the satisfaction of tactical block manipulation. However, the game subverts expectations by acting as an anthology of sorts. Blow has licensed mechanics from various indie titles, weaving them into a sprawling, interconnected open world containing over 1,000 unique puzzles. During our demo, Blow suggested a full completion time could reach 500 hours. While that estimate feels like a bold exaggeration, the sheer scale of the world I explored makes it surprisingly believable.</p>
<p>The mechanics are deceptively simple: enter a stage, maneuver blocks onto pressure plates, and proceed. Yet, once you step beyond the tutorial, the game opens up into a non-linear sandbox. Structurally, it mirrors <em>The Witness</em>; every region explores a distinct set of rules. One area focused on reflective mirrors that allowed me to teleport across bodies of water, while another zone introduced gem-powered lasers that manipulated the environment based on their color. These mechanics begin to overlap in ingenious ways, challenging your spatial reasoning.</p>
<p>Adding another layer of complexity, the game features multiple playable characters, each with unique interactions. Some can shunt entire rows of blocks, while others possess a gravitational pull mechanic. When these character-specific traits are combined with environmental hazards like mirrors or lasers, the puzzle-solving depth is immense.</p>
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<img src="https://static0.polygonimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/oss_screenshot_01.jpeg" alt="Order of the Sinking Star Gameplay">
<figcaption>Order of the Sinking Star screenshot</figcaption>
<small class="body-img-caption">Image: Thekla Inc./Arc Games</small>
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<p>The brilliance lies in how these puzzles impact the world at large. Solving a cluster of challenges might unlock new pathways or environmental shifts in the overworld, rewarding the player for mastering each new mechanic. It feels cohesive despite the sheer volume of content; even after experimenting with half a dozen rule sets, I felt as though I had barely scratched the surface.</p>
<p>Blow is humble regarding the core design, frequently shifting credit to the independent developers whose works—such as <em>Mirror Isles</em>, <em>Promesst</em>, and the <em>Heroes of Sokoban</em> series—provide the foundation for this experience. It is effectively a "mixtape" of the genre's finest innovations, miraculously held together by a unified vision.</p>
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<img src="https://static0.polygonimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/oss_screenshot_08.jpeg" alt="Order of the Sinking Star Puzzle Layout">
<figcaption>Order of the Sinking Star screenshot</figcaption>
<small class="body-img-caption">Image: Thekla Inc./Arc Games</small>
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<p>This collaborative spirit is vital. <em>Order of the Sinking Star</em> incorporates contributions from talented designers like Patrick Traynor (<em>Patrick’s Parabox</em>) and the late Zach Polansky, a brilliant logic puzzle creator who passed away in 2023. While marketing may prioritize Blow’s name, it is undeniably a massive, collaborative effort.</p>
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<p>Ultimately, whether you choose to support the project is a personal decision. (Notably, <em>Mirror Isles</em> developer Alan Hazelden has stated his proceeds will fund <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/draknek.bsky.social/post/3m7qygikfwc2s" target="_blank">support for underprivileged creators</a>.) Regardless of your stance, the original source material—those <a href="https://thinkygames.com/news/the-great-free-puzzle-games-that-inspired-and-turned-into-order-of-the-sinking-star/" target="_blank">brilliant free titles</a> being adapted here—deserves your attention if you appreciate high-caliber puzzle design.</p>
<p>The first portion of the <em>Order of the Sinking Star</em> demo is available now, with a second installment arriving Thursday. Combined, they offer a staggering 110 puzzles to test your mettle.</p>Source: Polygon
