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Order of the Sinking Star is an ambitious puzzle adventure from The Witness creator Jonathan Blow and Thekla, Inc., built around more than 1,000 interconnected puzzles across four worlds. But with its Steam release planned for October 8, 2026, there is not yet a basis for calling the finished game a masterpiece: this is a pre-release overview, not a review based on playing the complete game.
What is Order of the Sinking Star?
Order of the Sinking Star is a puzzle adventure directed by Jonathan Blow, developed by Thekla, Inc., and published by Arc Games and Gamirror Games, according to its Steam listing. The official pitch describes a large adventure in which players explore four worlds, encounter different rules and characters, and solve puzzles whose mechanics evolve and eventually intertwine. Story details are said to emerge through play and notes found in the world.
The design draws on several existing puzzle-game systems. Steam names Skipping Stones to Lonely Homes and Mirror Isles by Alan Hazelden; Promesst 1–3 by Sean Barrett; and Heroes of Sokoban 1, 2, and 3 by Jonah Ostroff. It also credits contributions from Zach Polansky (Enigmash), Patrick Traynor (Patrick’s Parabox), Marc ten Bosch (Miegakure), and others. The premise is not simply to present four separate puzzle collections: the listing says their systems will be combined in unexpected ways.
Steam calls the result a “game design supercollider.” That is the store’s promotional description, not an independent critical verdict. The listing also says the game has been in development for nearly a decade since The Witness.
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#1 Best Overall
How many puzzles are in Order of the Sinking Star?
The official Steam description advertises more than 1,000 hand-crafted, interconnected puzzles across four distinct worlds. Treat that as the publisher’s stated scale, rather than an independently verified count. The design description suggests that variety and interaction between rules are central: mechanics are meant to develop within worlds and combine as their characters and systems meet.
How long is Order of the Sinking Star?
In a PC Gamer pre-release preview, Blow estimated that a typical completionist might spend around 500 hours. He explicitly cautioned, “This is not a promise of any kind,” and described the number as an estimate. It is not a measured average, a guarantee, or a verified length for a typical playthrough.
Rank #2
- Order Up: In this frantic tossing, fish flopping, order filling game, it's your team of fish mongers against the clock to fill orders by flipping cards and tossing the electronic fish back and forth.
- Flopping Fish Timer: Keep track of your time in each round with the wobbly fish timer that plays sound and flops around as you throw it between players!
- Fun, Cooperative Play: This cooperative game is perfect for your next family game night or group gathering as you play together to try and beat your score and climb the levels to Master Fishmonger! For 2-6 players ages 8 and up!
- 3 Levels: Once your team has mastered Level 1, there are 2 more levels of play, each with more fish, more orders, and more disruptions to try and beat the clock!
- Easy, Quick Play: With easy-to-follow setup instructions for each level of play, Order Up! Fish Market is quick and fun to play, so you can test your skills again and again to improve your score and try to beat level 3!
The preview says players do not need to solve every puzzle to reach the endgame. It describes a nonlinear overworld that can be explored in a chosen order, with fog clearing as puzzles and stages are completed and more complex combinations appearing as worlds collide. Those details came from a short, hands-off demonstration, not a full-game playthrough, so the actual pacing and completion time remain unconfirmed.
What platforms is Order of the Sinking Star on?
The official website announces Steam, Nintendo Switch 2, and PlayStation 5. Steam also references Steam Deck in its launch announcement. The planned PC release date listed on Steam is October 8, 2026; check the relevant storefront for current release status and platform availability before buying, since those details can change.
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According to the PC Gamer preview, yes: the endgame does not require solving every puzzle. That makes the advertised completionist scale different from a required campaign length. The preview’s description of an explorable overworld and fog that clears as progress is made points to a structure built around choosing where to go, though the full game’s progression and any guidance or hint systems have not been established by the available pre-release coverage.
Order of the Sinking Star PC requirements
Steam lists the following Windows PC requirements. Store specifications can change, so confirm the live listing before purchasing.
Rank #4
- FUN and fast-paced board game that will have players strategising and sabotaging. Sinking City can be enjoyed all year round and is a must-have addition to games collections for school summer holidays or cosy winter nights.
- PLAYERS : 2+6 or teams
- AGES: 13+
- CONTENTS: Game Board, Instructions, 1 x Wooden Die, 6 x Playing Pieces, tokens, tiles, cards
- Let the games continue, this product has been designed to keep , please enjoy, replay, and give away for further play
| Requirement | Minimum | Recommended |
|---|---|---|
| Operating system | 64-bit Windows 10 or later with latest update | Not stated on Steam |
| Processor | Intel Core i5-6600K or AMD Ryzen R5 1600 | Intel Core i5-9600K or AMD Ryzen R5 3600 |
| Graphics | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Ti, AMD Radeon RX 580, or Intel Arc A380 | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 2070 Ti, AMD Radeon RX 5700, or Intel Arc B5700 |
| DirectX | Version 12 | Version 12 |
| Memory | 8 GB RAM | 16 GB RAM |
| Storage | 14 GB available space | 14 GB available space |
The graphics-model names above are reproduced as Steam displays them; check the store listing if you are matching a specific PC configuration.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Is Order of the Sinking Star a masterpiece?
That judgment cannot responsibly be made from the available pre-release information. The scale, four-world structure, and plan to combine systems from several puzzle games give the project a distinctive ambition, but they do not establish how well the finished puzzles teach their rules, how satisfying the progression feels, or whether the full experience justifies its length. Steam’s puzzle count and Blow’s completionist estimate describe the intended scale, not quality or value.
Best Value
Steam listed no user reviews for the full game at the time of this pre-release briefing. The most accurate conclusion is that Order of the Sinking Star is a major, unusually expansive puzzle adventure to watch—not a confirmed masterpiece or a reviewed recommendation. A verdict on its puzzle design, performance, accessibility, and overall value requires evidence from the released game.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
