Jonathan Blow Discusses Creating the Largest Puzzle Game: ‘Order of the Sinking Star’

Jonathan Blow, known for his uncompromising vision, has established new standards in game development with his title, Order of the Sinking Star. Central to this endeavor is his choice to design a programming language named Jai from the ground up.

By utilizing Jai in tandem with a custom-built game engine, Blow has created a unique gaming experience. A game engine is essential software that encompasses all the elements necessary to deliver a playable product, including graphics rendering, physics simulation, and scripting.

Unlike many game developers who opt for established engines like Unity or Unreal Engine, Blow’s decision to craft his own engine signifies a bold and thorough approach. This tailored solution allows him to refine the game experience specifically to his creative vision.

Reflecting on the project’s evolution, Blow acknowledged that what began as a straightforward “design experiment” has now spanned a decade of development. He expressed a desire for future projects to be less arduous, stating, “I do want the next project after this to be less on hard mode, or really it was nightmare mode, because we did so many things on hard mode at the same time.”

Despite the challenges, Blow finds the process rewarding, asserting, “But it’s also been rewarding in a certain way. Because otherwise, what else are you in the industry for?”