Published Jun 17, 2026, 10:00 PM EDT
Sharmila is an engineer-turned-gaming hardware journalist and freelance contributor at ScreenRant who has been covering the gaming and tech industry since 2021. While she first built her expertise writing about video games, she has since pivoted towards gaming hardware, with a focus on PC components, peripherals, handhelds, and performance-driven tech. When she’s not testing gear or writing about the latest hardware trends, she can usually be found diving into competitive shooters or keeping up with the evolving esports scene.
Only half of 2026 has passed, but fans have already mentally crowned some of the worthiest titles for the prestigious Game of the Year award—and one of those is currently playable for free on Steam.
The Steam Next Fest is currently hosting over 5,000 free game demos, with a total playtime exceeding 90 days. That’s a lot of content to explore, even for the nerdiest gamers among us. The event will naturally have a lot of players looking for recommendations, and if the built-in “Recommended” feature hasn’t suggested this one to you already, you should definitely give Order of the Sinking Star a try.
This puzzle adventure game by Arc Games is not for the impatient, as it takes players through a series of clever, interconnected riddles that lead to a “grand mystery.” Jonathan David Blow of the Braid and The Witness fame has designed this masterpiece, so I’m not even surprised at the level of brilliance packed into every corner of the experience. Even the demo currently features over 100 puzzles, with more arriving in an update scheduled for June 19. The final version will have more than 1,000 puzzles for you to figure out, so the demo only scratches the surface.
Besides solving puzzles, Order of the Sinking Star will also have you explore multiple worlds, play unique characters, and master evolving mechanics. The demo currently offers 110 levels of fun and an “overworld” that connects three base worlds. The June 19 update will bring even more. It’s a single-player adventure, so you can’t have your friends join you in the fun. But you can always have them watch you masterfully solve those puzzles in record time, and maybe even challenge them to do the same.
You can download the Order of the Sinking Star demo from Steam: just search for the game and hit the Install Demo button featured on its store page. Note that the demo will be playable through June 22, and all progress you make in it will carry over if you purchase the full version upon release. The final release date has yet to be announced (though it's expected later this year), but you can always add the game to your Steam wishlist to receive regular updates.
If you’re logged in from your Steam Deck instead, you’ll be pleased to know that Order of the Sinking Star is playable on your device of choice. It’s yet to be verified, but the developers aim to continue optimization throughout development and secure the official “Steam Deck Verified” badge by release. The demo isn’t very demanding either, but if you’re worried your potato rig won’t be able to handle it, you can also play it on virtually any device with an NVIDIA GeForce NOW subscription.
There’s nothing “bad” about this demo right now, but if you’re sensitive to AI-generated content in video games, the developers have confirmed the use of “placeholder computer-generated voiceover narration.” This is, however, exclusive to the demo and will be removed before the full release.
Brand Valve
Original Release Date September 12, 2003
English (US) ·