- Order of the Sinking Star controversy centers on whether the game borrows too heavily from free indie puzzle games.
- Core issue: The four hero abilities trace back to a free web game, Heroes of Sokoban.
- Developer's stance: Jonathan Blow openly credits the original designers and points to significant redesign work.
- Community split: Some praise the transparency, others question originality of a paid release.
- Verdict: The mechanics are borrowed, but levels, rules, and presentation were substantially reworked.
What Is the Order of the Sinking Star Controversy?
The Order of the Sinking Star controversy is a community debate about the game's relationship to its source material. The puzzle game, associated with designer Jonathan Blow, is a high-production-value reimagining of smaller free titles — most notably the browser puzzle game Heroes of Sokoban by Jonah Ostroff and the freeware game Promise by Shaun Barrett. When players discovered that core mechanics originated in games playable for free online, discussions erupted about originality, credit, and value.
In a widely discussed interview, Blow walked through the original free web games level by level, showing exactly how mechanics and even specific level layouts evolved into Order of the Sinking Star. That transparency is the heart of the controversy: some players felt the paid game was largely repackaged free content, while others argued the redesign work justified the release.
Video Highlights:
- Blow confirms the four hero abilities (warrior, thief, wizard, priestess) come from the free web game Heroes of Sokoban.
- Specific levels from the original were identified and compared to their remade counterparts.
- The game also draws from Promise and the brutally difficult Promise 2 by Shaun Barrett.
- Blow explains that abilities and rules were expanded significantly rather than simply ported at higher resolution.
You can play the original Heroes of Sokoban for free by searching "Puzzle Script Heroes of Sokoban" in your browser. Comparing it side by side with Order of the Sinking Star is the fastest way to understand what the debate is about.
The Source Games: What Was Borrowed?
To evaluate the controversy fairly, you need to know what actually came from where. The table below summarizes the key inspirations and how each was transformed.
| Source Game | Original Creator | What Was Borrowed | How It Changed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Heroes of Sokoban | Jonah Ostroff | Four hero classes and their abilities | Abilities expanded with new rules and interactions |
| Heroes of Sokoban | Jonah Ostroff | Early level layouts (e.g., three-button rooms) | Reworked into larger, tougher multi-room puzzles |
| Promise | Shaun Barrett | Gem-slot and beam mechanics, minimap navigation | Beams changed to rocks, strength rules rebuilt |
| Promise 2 | Shaun Barrett | Difficulty philosophy | Order of the Sinking Star adds accessibility changes |
Heroes of Sokoban
- Free browser game
- Four synergistic hero abilities
- Designed by a math PhD student
- Several levels directly inspired remakes
Promise
- Freeware puzzle game
- Gem slots, strength beams, minimap
- Slower movement pacing retained deliberately
- Harder than the remade version
Promise 2
- Brutally difficult sequel
- Only a few players ever solved it
- Serves as a design reference point
- Order of the Sinking Star eases its harshest edges
The claim that Order of the Sinking Star is "just a reskin" doesn't hold up. According to Blow, the team had to answer substantial design questions about how the borrowed abilities interact, and several original levels were replaced or significantly restructured rather than copied.
Both Sides of the Debate
The controversy is genuinely two-sided, and reasonable players land in different places depending on what they value.
| Argument | Critics Say | Supporters Say |
|---|---|---|
| Originality | Core mechanics come from free games | Ability interactions and rules were rebuilt from scratch |
| Credit | Small designers deserve revenue share | Original authors are named and their games promoted |
| Value | Paying for free content feels wrong | High production value and new content justify the price |
| Difficulty | Originals were purer challenges | Accessibility changes broaden the audience |
| Levels | Some layouts are recognizable | Most levels are new or heavily reworked |
Jonah Ostroff and Shaun Barrett are both publicly credited in interview discussion, and their original games are free to download and play. Notably, Promise 2 was already free before Order of the Sinking Star existed, and Blow actively encourages players to try it.
How to Judge It Yourself: Step-by-Step
If you want an informed opinion instead of secondhand takes, follow this process.
Play the Originals
Search for Puzzle Script Heroes of Sokoban in your browser and download Promise and Promise 2, both free. Spend at least an hour with each to get a feel for the raw mechanics.
Compare Level Design
Play the early Order of the Sinking Star levels and look for recognizable structures, such as the three-button room and the multi-room thief level. Note how much harder the remakes are.
Evaluate the Ability Systems
Test how the four abilities interact late in the game. The originals stop early; the expanded rules are where the new design work is most visible.
Weigh Credit and Value
Consider that the source designers are named, their games are free, and decide for yourself whether the transformation justifies a commercial release.
Most players who do this comparison conclude the game is a legitimate high-production remake with meaningful original design work — though opinions on pricing and revenue-sharing ethics still vary.
Design Changes That Matter
| Change | In the Original | In Order of the Sinking Star |
|---|---|---|
| Movement speed | Pokey, tied to mover timing | Same pacing principle, smoother presentation |
| Strength beams | Tweaky, inconsistent rules | Replaced with rocks, unified strength rules |
| Level count | Small set of browser levels | Many new levels, originals expanded or replaced |
| Difficulty curve | Promise 2 nearly unsolvable | Eased with accessibility-minded adjustments |
| Presentation | Minimal Puzzle Script graphics | High production values throughout |
The deliberately slow movement inherited from Promise isn't laziness — it has to match the timing of automated mover elements, otherwise several puzzle mechanics would break.
Research Checklist
Before Forming an Opinion:
- Play the free original Heroes of Sokoban
- Download and try Promise by Shaun Barrett
- Identify at least one remade level in Order of the Sinking Star
- Watch the developer interview on design inspirations
- Compare late-game ability interactions with the originals
FAQ
Q: What is the Order of the Sinking Star controversy about?
It centers on the fact that the game's core mechanics and some level layouts derive from free indie puzzle games — Heroes of Sokoban by Jonah Ostroff and Promise by Shaun Barrett — leading to debate about originality and value in a paid release.
Q: Did the developers hide the inspirations?
No. Jonathan Blow discussed the source games openly in an interview, playing them on stream, crediting their authors, and encouraging viewers to download the free originals themselves.
Q: Is Order of the Sinking Star just a reskin of free games?
Not exactly. While the four hero abilities and some level concepts come from the originals, the abilities were expanded with new rules, levels were restructured, and mechanics like strength beams were redesigned for consistency.
Q: Can I still play the original games for free?
Yes. Heroes of Sokoban is a free browser Puzzle Script game, and both Promise and Promise 2 by Shaun Barrett are freely available, though Promise 2 is extremely difficult.