《沉興之序》(Order of the Sinking Star)是由Thekla, Inc.打造的全新敘事型解謎冒險遊戲，核心創作者為以《時空幻境》（Braid）與《見證者》（The Witness）聞名的傳奇遊戲設計師喬納森・布洛（Jonathan Blow）。於The Game Awards 2025正式公開，預定於2026年在PC（Steam）平台推出，其他平台尚未公布。延續布洛一貫對「謎題即語言、玩法即敘事」的設計哲學，本作並非單純堆疊關卡的解謎遊戲，而是一場規模龐大、結構高度互聯、以探索與理解為核心的思想型冒險。

在劇情層面，構築一個充滿魔法、異象與隱晦秩序的奇幻世界。玩家將進入四個彼此獨立卻又暗中呼應的平行世界，每個世界都有截然不同的規則、美學風格與敘事氣質，也各自承載一段尚未被理解的歷史與真相。表面上，這些世界像是分離的舞台，但隨著探索深入，角色彼此相遇、世界逐步交會，隱藏在背後的巨大謎局開始浮現。「沉興之星」不僅是象徵性的存在，更像是一條貫穿所有世界的命運軸線，牽動著秩序、崩解與重生的循環。遊戲並不以大量直白對話或過場來講述故事，而是透過環境設計、角色行為、散落各地的手記與謎題本身，讓玩家自行拼湊出這個世界的真相，這種敘事方式與《The Witness》一脈相承，但在情感與角色層面顯得更為濃厚。

在操作與玩法設計上，本作堪稱布洛迄今最為龐大且野心勃勃的作品。遊戲內含超過一千個手工設計的謎題，且並非彼此孤立，而是層層相扣、前後呼應。每一個新謎題都像是在教授一種新的「語法」，迫使玩家重新理解既有規則，並在熟悉與陌生之間反覆調整思維方式。玩法核心帶有濃厚的「倉庫番（Sokoban）」風格，但並未停留在推箱子的表層，而是將空間、時間、角色能力與世界規則融合，發展成高度抽象卻又邏輯嚴謹的系統。遊戲允許自由探索，玩家可以隨時離開卡關的區域，前往其他世界或挑戰不同謎題，並在新的理解產生後回頭破解原本無法理解的設計，這種非線性結構大幅降低挫折感，同時鼓勵長時間的思考與沉澱。

角色操作也是本作的重要特色之一。玩家將化身為多位風格與能力截然不同的角色，包括象徵權力與秩序的女王、擅長潛行與機巧的盜賊、直面衝突的戰士、操縱異能的巫師，甚至還有一艘會說話的小船。這些角色不只是換皮的操作單位，而是各自代表一套獨立的解謎邏輯與世界觀視角。當角色開始彼此互動、能力產生疊加時，謎題的解法也會隨之進化，創造出先前無法想像的全新玩法狀態，這種「機制融合」正是本作最具辨識度的設計亮點之一。

從市場評價與期待來看，本作在公開後迅速成為核心玩家與解謎遊戲社群的關注焦點。Jonathan Blow的名字本身就代表著高難度、高深度與高度作者性的設計取向，對部分玩家而言，這意味著精神層面的極大滿足；但對一般玩家來說，也象徵著極高的理解門檻與耐心考驗。目前從已釋出的畫面與資訊來看，遊戲延續了《The Witness》那種看似簡潔、實則極度精密的視覺風格，同時加入更多角色敘事與世界變化，讓作品在情感層次上更為豐富。另一個備受討論的焦點，是本作採用了 Blow 親自開發的全新程式語言「Jai」進行製作，這不僅展現他對技術與創作工具的掌控慾望，也讓外界對遊戲在系統層級上的獨特性抱有高度期待。

整體而言，《沉興之序：Order of the Sinking Star》並不是為了即時娛樂或快速通關而存在的作品，而是一款要求玩家投入時間、思考與情感的長篇思想型冒險。它將解謎視為理解世界的手段，將角色與機制視為敘事的一部分，讓故事不是被「看見」，而是被「想通」。若玩家能接受其高密度、慢節奏與高度抽象的設計取向，本作極有可能成為繼《Braid》與《The Witness》之後，又一款在解謎遊戲史上留下深刻印記的代表作。

Order of the Sinking Star is a new narrative-driven puzzle adventure developed by Thekla, Inc., led by legendary game designer Jonathan Blow, best known for Braid and The Witness. The game was officially revealed at The Game Awards 2025 and is scheduled to launch on PC (Steam) in 2026, with other platforms yet to be announced. Continuing Blow’s long-standing design philosophy that “puzzles are a language, and gameplay is narrative,” this is not a conventional puzzle game built around isolated challenges, but a large-scale, tightly interconnected intellectual adventure centered on exploration and understanding.

On the narrative level, the game constructs a fantasy world filled with magic, strange phenomena, and an obscure underlying order. Players journey through four parallel worlds that appear independent at first, yet subtly echo one another. Each world features its own distinct rules, visual identity, and narrative tone, as well as a history and truth that have yet to be fully understood. While these realms initially feel like separate stages, deeper exploration gradually brings characters together and causes the worlds themselves to intersect, allowing a vast hidden mystery to emerge. The “Sinking Star” is not merely a symbolic concept, but a central axis of fate that runs through all worlds, governing cycles of order, collapse, and rebirth. Rather than relying on explicit dialogue or lengthy cutscenes, the story is conveyed through environmental design, character behavior, scattered notes, and the puzzles themselves. Players are expected to piece together the truth on their own, a narrative approach reminiscent of The Witness, but with a stronger emphasis on character and emotional resonance.

In terms of gameplay and controls, this stands as Jonathan Blow’s most ambitious and expansive project to date. The game features more than one thousand hand-crafted puzzles, none of which exist in isolation. Instead, they are deeply interconnected, building upon one another in layered and deliberate ways. Each new puzzle effectively introduces a new “grammatical rule,” forcing players to reinterpret previously learned mechanics and constantly adjust their way of thinking between familiarity and uncertainty. While the core design draws heavily from Sokoban-style puzzle foundations, it goes far beyond simple box-pushing. Space, time, character abilities, and world rules are woven together into a highly abstract yet rigorously logical system. The structure encourages free exploration, allowing players to leave difficult areas at any time, explore other worlds, and return later with new insights to solve puzzles that once seemed impenetrable. This non-linear design significantly reduces frustration while rewarding patience, contemplation, and long-term engagement.

Playable characters are another defining feature of the experience. Players will take control of a diverse cast, including a queen who embodies authority and order, a rogue skilled in stealth and cunning, a warrior who confronts challenges head-on, a mage who manipulates supernatural forces, and even a sentient, talking boat. These characters are not simple cosmetic variations, but each represents a distinct puzzle logic and worldview. As characters begin to interact and their abilities overlap, puzzle solutions evolve in unexpected ways, giving rise to entirely new gameplay states. This form of “mechanical fusion” is one of the game’s most distinctive and memorable design elements.

From a market and reception standpoint, the game quickly became a focal point of discussion among core players and puzzle game communities following its announcement. Jonathan Blow’s name alone signals a commitment to high difficulty, deep systems, and strong auteur-driven design. For some players, this promises an intensely rewarding intellectual experience; for others, it implies a steep learning curve and a demand for considerable patience. Based on currently released footage and information, the game continues the deceptively minimal yet intricately precise visual style of The Witness, while expanding its emotional scope through richer character storytelling and evolving worlds. Another major point of interest is the use of “Jai,” a new programming language developed by Blow himself, highlighting his desire for complete control over both creative vision and technical foundations, and raising expectations for unique system-level design.

Overall, Order of the Sinking Star is not a game designed for instant gratification or quick completion. It is a long-form, contemplative adventure that asks players to invest time, thought, and emotional engagement. By treating puzzles as a means of understanding the world and framing characters and mechanics as integral parts of the narrative, the story is not simply something to be seen, but something to be comprehended. If players are willing to embrace its dense structure, deliberate pacing, and high level of abstraction, the game has the potential to stand alongside Braid and The Witness as another landmark title in the history of puzzle games.