Stars are additional collectibles, not required for any basic puzzle or to unlock the basic game endings.
The Talos Principle 1[]
In the first game, a total of 30 stars (
) are scattered through the different areas. Signposts indicate the number of stars available in each of the basic areas (A-1, A-2, etc.), but there are also stars in the hubs.
Many stars require going outside of the ordinary area bounds, taking puzzle items outside of their original puzzles, or connecting lasers to components outside of basic puzzles.
Collecting every star is a requirement for reaching the Messenger Ending.
The Talos Principle: Road To Gehenna[]
There are 16 total stars in the first game's DLC, four in each of the four worlds. An additional world can be accessed after collecting at least 10 of these stars.
The Talos Principle 2[]
There are a total of 24 stars (✴) in the second game, two in each of the 12 zones. Each star is collected at the base of a special monument. These monuments come in three different varieties:
- Pandora monuments are activated by connecting a laser to the monument. This sometimes requires taking components out of their original puzzles.
- Prometheus monuments require finding a "sprite" somewhere in the level. Touching the sprite causes it to fly off to a predetermined location, and repeating this process eventually brings the sprite to the Prometheus monument, unlocking a star.
- Sphinx monuments each have a plaque with a vague clue about how to unlock the associate star. These can require using switches, buttons, or other components throughout the world.
Collecting all 24 stars unlocks a gate in the temple near the megastructure and allows for an change to each of the game's ending cutscenes.