Order of the Sinking Star (demo)
published 2026-07-11 | tags: #games #backlog
The description is correct, I did in fact play the demo of this game for 16 hours. I am incredibly hyped for this game if you couldn't already tell.
Order of the Sinking Star is due to come out later this year and I have been following it's development since the start when it was "a small game to demonstrate that [Jonathan Blow's new programming language] can make real games". It has since ballooned into a gigantic mega-game with (allegedly) over 900 levels and more than 1,000 puzzles. If that doesn't get you excited you should consult your doctor because that shit is so hype.
The game is split up into four worlds, each inspired/copying an existing, usually free, Sokoban game. Where the worlds border one another, the mechanics of both games mix into really interesting and brain-bendy puzzles.
The "Heros of Sokoban" world to the north is the most classic Sokoban in the demo. You control a warrior, who pushes lots of blocks, a thief, that pulls blocks, and a wizard, that swaps places with blocks; there are a few other characters but I don't want to spoil it.
The "Promesst" world to the west is hard as hell. There's basically one level in the demo and it took me an hour because there's like a dozen puzzles interwoven into one massive level.
The "Mirror Isles" world to the east is really fun and was probably the most challenging mechanic, especially when you get past a single character and a single mirror.
Unfortunately the skipping stones world was not present in the demo... sad.
The demo includes roughly 105 levels according to every source I can find, but after beating all 105 of them I can't shake the feeling that there is still one or two more... secret puzzles... still out there... taunting me.
Over all the game is really pretty, the mechanics are tight, the story is fun, and it plays really well on Steam Deck-- except for the Promesst level which has a "full map view" that tanked my framerate down to like ~15-20fps which is playable but not ideal.
I'm not good at Sokoban games, but I am finding my self more and more interested in them. From Baba is You to Isles of Sea & Sky, I've been ramping up my Sokoban XP in preparation for this game and I think it is somewhat paying off. I at least know going into it that I do in fact like Sokoban games even when they get frustrating so I think I can power through the majority of this game.
I'm incredibly excited for the full game to come out later this year and either spend the next 5 years of my free time playing it, or abandon my life for 600 hours straight and do it in one sitting... but which one should I do...