Independent Puzzle Adventure Wiki
Order of the Sinking Star
Find your bearings at the Crossroads, learn each world's rules and get help with the puzzle in front of you. Begin with the northern heroes or eastern mirrors, then explore stone paths and gem-powered beams. As the worlds connect, familiar mechanics combine into new challenges.
Find Your First Route
Begin at the Crossroads
Beginner Guide
Learn the tutorial basics, collect the map and choose your first direction.
Mirror Isles Walkthrough
Head east to learn how reflections move characters and objects between islands.
Skipping Stones Walkthrough
Explore the southern route, where stones create paths across water.
Puzzle Solutions
Find help with mirror arrangements, gem-powered beams and interacting mechanics.
About the game
Developed by Thekla and directed by Jonathan Blow, this narrative puzzle adventure connects four worlds with different rules. Heroes manipulate objects using complementary abilities, mirrors transport characters and objects, stones make routes across water, and gems power beams with distinct effects. The Crossroads lets you choose where to begin and return to another route when you get stuck. Later areas bring these systems together, asking you to reconsider what familiar objects can do. Exploration also reveals the story through character dialogue and recordings, while gold rooms open routes into further challenges.
- Game Type
- Narrative Puzzle Adventure
- Play On
- PC
- Player Mode
- Single-player
- Starting Worlds
- Four Interconnected Worlds
Order of the Sinking Star Beginner Walkthrough
Start with the tutorial, then collect the map at the Crossroads. North and east offer gentler introductions to the game's rules, but you can explore the four initial campaigns in any order.
- 1Practice the tutorial toolsLearn how to push rocks, undo moves, restart a puzzle and unlock cages before tackling the larger worlds.
- 2Collect the Crossroads mapPick up the map just above your arrival point, then use the four directions to orient yourself.
- 3Try north or east firstThe northern heroes introduce character abilities, while the eastern islands introduce mirrors. Both begin with approachable puzzles.
- 4Change routes when you get stuckReturn to the overworld through the menu and explore another direction. Revisit the difficult puzzle after practicing different ideas.
Puzzle Solutions
Identify the area and puzzle layout before following a solution. Mirror puzzles and gem puzzles use different systems, and later areas combine rules that first appear separately.
Mirror Puzzles
In the Mirror Isles, reflections let characters and objects move between islands. Track their positions and test what changes when you use a mirror.
Gem Puzzles
In Vault of the Beamcasters, gems activate colored beams with different effects. Learn each effect before planning how to reach another part of the maze.
Levels and Puzzle Count
The game is described as containing over 1,000 handcrafted puzzles. That does not establish an exact number of named levels or screens. These four starting worlds lead into further areas where their mechanics interact.
The Hearty Heroes of Hauling
Take the northern road to puzzles built around switching heroes and combining their different ways of moving objects.
The Mirror Isles
Take the eastern road to island puzzles where mirrors transport characters and objects through reflections.
Skipping Stones to Lonely Homes
Take the southern road to water-crossing puzzles involving stones, a sailor and a talking boat.
Vault of the Beamcasters
Take the western road to maze exploration, collectible gems and colored beams that grant different abilities.
Demo Walkthrough and Levels
Demo availability, included levels and the total demo puzzle count are not confirmed here. If you are playing a demo, match its version and puzzle layout before applying instructions from the full game.
Demo Walkthrough
Check your starting area and visible objects before following a route; a full-game walkthrough may describe a different setup.
Demo Levels
The demo's level selection remains unconfirmed. The full game's four-world structure does not establish what a demo contains.
Matching a Puzzle Solution
Compare the character, object positions and available mechanics with your screen before using a solution.
Characters
The cast includes a queen, a warrior, a thief, a wizard and a talking boat. Different abilities shape the puzzles, while dialogue and recordings gradually reveal how the characters fit into the larger mystery.
The Northern Heroes
The Hearty Heroes of Hauling begins with a switchable party. Learn each hero's abilities and limitations before planning a shared route through a room.
The Queen and Other Travelers
The queen's dialogue adds story context as you progress. Other routes introduce a sailor and a talking boat among the game's unusual companions.
Achievements
Each initial campaign leads to an achievement, giving you four early progression goals. The complete achievement count and full list of unlock requirements are not confirmed here.
Map and Routes
The Crossroads connects the four starting directions. Gold rooms later open access to additional areas, including challenges that combine heroes with mirrors, water or stones.
North and East
North leads to the Hearty Heroes of Hauling; east leads to the Mirror Isles. These are the recommended starting directions for learning the basics.
South and West
South leads to Skipping Stones to Lonely Homes; west leads to Vault of the Beamcasters. Expect water-crossing puzzles to the south and gem-powered exploration to the west.
Multiplayer Questions
The game is described as a single-player puzzle adventure. Its multiple characters provide different abilities for one player to combine while solving puzzles.
Does the game have multiplayer or co-op?
The available game description identifies single-player play and does not list a multiplayer or co-op mode.
Why can I switch between several heroes?
Character switching is a puzzle mechanic in the northern campaign. You control heroes with complementary abilities within the single-player adventure.
Recent Wiki Changes
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All Walkthroughs
Order of the Sinking Star FAQ
Can I read the walkthroughs for free?
Yes. This fan wiki's walkthroughs, puzzle notes and map guidance are free to read.
Which direction should I choose at the Crossroads?
North and east are recommended for their approachable opening puzzles. North introduces the heroes, and east introduces mirrors. You can choose another direction and return to unfinished challenges later.
Is this an official the game website?
No. This is an independent fan wiki with no affiliation, sponsorship or endorsement from the game's developer or publisher.
How many puzzles and levels are there?
The game is described as having over 1,000 handcrafted puzzles. An exact total of separately named levels or screens is not confirmed here, and those counts should not be treated as interchangeable.
How many levels are in the demo?
The available references do not establish the demo's level count or puzzle selection. Demo availability is also unconfirmed here.
Where do the gem puzzles appear?
The western route leads to Vault of the Beamcasters, where gems power colored beams with different abilities. Its opening is more demanding than the northern and eastern routes.
Choose Your First Path
Learn the tutorial tools, collect the Crossroads map and head north or east. When a puzzle stops making sense, explore another route and return with a fresh idea.
Begin the Walkthrough