Puzzles in Order of the Sinking Star are built around who you control. Each hero has a power over blocks, enemies or terrain, and many puzzles only work once you understand that power exactly. This page lists the heroes named in launch-window previews, with the ability each one has been described using.
Hero ability table
| Hero | World | Ability |
|---|---|---|
| The Queen | Overworld | First playable character. Pushes blocking objects on grid-like locations. |
| Valens | The Hearty Heroes of Hauling | Pushes blocks and crystals. |
| Tif | The Hearty Heroes of Hauling | Can only pull blocks and crystals. |
| Isidore | The Hearty Heroes of Hauling | Swaps places with blocks and crystals within line of sight. |
| The druid | The Hearty Heroes of Hauling (joins later) | Transmutes blocks. |
| The bard | Described in the hands-on report | Charms enemies with an area-of-effect ability. |
| The priestess | Described in the hands-on report | Immune to enemy attacks and can protect adjacent characters. |
| The explorer | The Promise | Uses gems that emit coloured beams to activate abilities. |
| The wealthy trader | Mirror Isles | Swaps places with his projected reflection using mirrors. |
| The marooned sailor | Skipping Stones to Lonely Homes | Redirects rivers. |
Previews also mention a wizard who swaps positions with objects he faces, and other coverage lists a thief, a warrior and a talking boat among the cast. We only list abilities that a named source ties to a specific hero. See all four worlds for where each hero lives.
Why abilities matter more than speed
Because there is no combat, enemies work as rules. Per the PlayStation Blog report, goblins kill a character on an adjacent square, beasts shoot fire within line of sight, and the priestess's immunity or the bard's charm can turn those threats into tools. Some gates open only after enemies are defeated, and monsters can be manipulated into attacking each other.
A library-style room with a pink block. Rooms like this are where you learn what each hero can and cannot do to a block.
Combining heroes across worlds
Several hours in, heroes from different worlds can combine their abilities. The hands-on report gives the merchant and the wizard as an example of switching between characters across realms to solve a puzzle neither could solve alone.