How Stars in The Talos Principle 2 Work, Explained

The Talos Principle 2 has brought back Stars from the first game, and they’re a tad easier to find this time around. If you’re new to the series and don’t know what Stars are in The Talos Principle 2 or how to use them, here’s an explanation.

What Are Stars in The Talos Principle 2?

In the first game, Stars were secret collectibles found within puzzles and could be challenging to get your hands on. The Stars in The Talos Principle 2 basically follow the same trope as a hidden item but instead are given as a reward for solving riddles/challenges instructed by golden monuments. 

For instance, one might task you with finding a way to point a green beam from a puzzle tool at a panel held by the statue, while another requires flipping specific switches around a map. These monuments won’t spell out exactly what to do, but the Star challenges aren’t so complicated that you’d have too much trouble figuring them out alone. 

A good rule of thumb is to save them after you’ve done all the other puzzles on the map to familiarize yourself with the environment. Usually, mechanisms related to the challenge will hide in plain sight or behind structures, so it pays to venture out first before diving into a Star challenge. 

Related: Do You Need to Play The Talos Principle 1 Before 2?

How to Use Stars

Once you start acquiring Stars left and right, you’ll naturally begin questioning what these collectibles are for in the first place. If you remember, there’s a temple at the island’s center near the massive pyramid structure.

Head to this temple, and inside will be a mechanism with seals. You can use the collectibles here to unlock some of the seals, but as expected, you’ll need all the Stars in to fully pop open this strange mechanism in the temple.

If you’re looking for more, check out our preview of Talos Principle 2.