Back to the Dawn on Steam - User reviews, Price & Information

You were framed and incarcerated. Learn to survive in prison. Explore every inch and exploit any weakness. Manipulate and scheme. Make friends (or foes) with fellow inmates and with their help, break out of prison.

Back to the Dawn is a rpg, story rich and pixel graphics game developed by Metal Head Games and published by Spiral Up Games.
Released on November 02nd 2023 is available only on Windows in 4 languages: Simplified Chinese, English, Japanese and Traditional Chinese.

It has received 4,812 reviews of which 4,470 were positive and 342 were negative resulting in a rating of 9.0 out of 10. ๐Ÿ˜Ž

The game is currently priced at 19.50โ‚ฌ on Steam.


The Steam community has classified Back to the Dawn into these genres:

Media & Screenshots

Get an in-depth look at Back to the Dawn through various videos and screenshots.

System requirements

These are the minimum specifications needed to play the game. For the best experience, we recommend that you verify them.

Windows
  • OS *: Windows 7/8/10
  • Processor: Intel i5
  • Memory: 4 GB RAM
  • Graphics: Nvidia GTX 750ti
  • Storage: 3 GB available space
  • Additional Notes: Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system.

User reviews & Ratings

Explore reviews from Steam users sharing their experiences and what they love about the game.

Nov. 2024
I adore this game, it's crazy how much it's flying under the radar. Basically it's a life sim/choices matter kind of deal. Live in prison, go through the daily routine, work on raising your stats and skills and do one of a crazy number of different paths to escape. Honestly, I can't emphasise enough how much effort they put into these different routes. There was a SECRET, hidden escape path I found that included like six entirely new characters you'd never even see otherwise with full animations. Be aware -if the idea of the escape time limit puts you off, you can just NG+ and keep almost all of your progress, you only lose your cash and items on a reset. I actually use this game to relax and just slowly max everything, when normally time limits would really stress me out
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Oct. 2024
Hands down, one of the best games I've experienced in the last decade. Incredible believable character arcs, breathtaking pixel graphics and a storyline that'll keep you at the edge of your seat. Great gameplay all-around. One of my top games of all time, I'm so excited to play as the new character in 2025!
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Aug. 2024
Concise Game Reviews: "Back to the Dawn" (Scroll down for the longer version) Game Value: โœ… Recommended for players who enjoy deep role-playing experiences, prison escape narratives, and strategic survival mechanics. Offers a blend of exploration, manipulation, and character interaction in a detailed prison setting. Game Tags: โœ”Survival โœ”Role-Playing โœ”Exploration โœ”Strategy โœ”Prison Escape โœ”Character Interaction โœ”Crafting โœ”Mystery โœ”Dark Comedy Genre Classification: A survival role-playing game set in a maximum-security prison, focusing on escape planning, resource management, and complex social interactions with a dark narrative backdrop. Game Length: Approximately 40-60 hours, with open-ended gameplay and numerous pathways to escape and interact with the prison environment. Challenge Level: High; features intricate resource management, strategic planning, and complex character interactions, with difficulty influenced by player choices and actions. Graphics: Detailed and immersive prison environment with a focus on realism and dark humor, bringing the prison life and its various elements to life. Technical Stability: Generally stable with minimal technical issues reported, providing a reliable gameplay experience. Replay Value: High; offers multiple escape strategies, character interactions, and narrative outcomes, ensuring diverse and replayable experiences. For further insights, feel free to join my [url=https://steamcommunity.com/groups/MaverickGameVault]Steam group or follow my updates on my [url=https://steamcommunity.com/groups/MaverickGameVault/curation]curator page . Detailed review: Key Features: ๐ŸŒŸ Intricate Escape Planning: Dive into a detailed prison environment where your primary goal is to escape, using strategic planning and resource management to navigate challenges. ๐Ÿ”ฅ Dynamic Social Interactions: Build relationships or rivalries with a colorful cast of inmates, influencing the game's outcome through alliances and conflicts. ๐ŸŽฏ Resource Management and Crafting: Manage your character's needs, gather resources, and craft tools to aid in your escape while balancing various in-game metrics. ๐ŸŽจ Rich Dark Comedy Aesthetics: Enjoy a visually immersive and humor-filled representation of prison life, with attention to detail that enhances the narrative experience. โš™๏ธ Varied Gameplay Scenarios: Explore multiple paths to freedom and engage in diverse scenarios, from stealthy manipulation to full-scale disruption. ๐ŸŒŸ Overview: "Back to the Dawn" is a role-playing game set in a maximum-security prison where players must navigate survival, escape planning, and social dynamics. The game emphasizes deep interaction with fellow inmates, resource management, and strategic escape mechanisms within a richly detailed and immersive environment. ๐ŸŽฎ Gameplay: The gameplay in this game is exceptionally rich and immersive, offering a diverse range of activities and interactions: ๐ŸŒ Exploration: Navigate the extensive prison environment, which includes various areas like the gym, reading club, video room, and more, uncovering secrets and potential escape routes. ๐Ÿ”ง Crafting/Upgrade System: Craft tools and upgrade your abilities to enhance your chances of survival and escape. ๐Ÿค Social Interaction: Build relationships with almost every prisoner and guard. You can forge alliances, create rivalries, or even make enemies. Your interactions influence the prison dynamics and your escape plan. ๐Ÿ“ž Communication: Make phone calls to friends, your lawyer, or loved ones. You can also receive mail and request objects or money from your contacts. ๐ŸŽฒ Mini-Games and Jobs: Engage in various mini-games such as working in the laundry (ironing clothes) or performing physical labor on the roof to earn money. Alternatively, you can engage in more dubious activities like gambling, theft, extortion, and illegal trade. ๐Ÿ“ˆ Stats Management: Manage various stats such as strength, charisma, and stealth to impact your abilities and interactions. โš”๏ธ Faction Dynamics: Join different prison factions. Successfully completing missions for a faction earns you rewards and allies but can make you enemies with rival factions. Remaining neutral may lead to regular extortion attempts from others. ๐Ÿ‹๏ธ Physical Training: Participate in sports and workouts to build strength and enhance your self-defense capabilities. ๐Ÿ› Facilities: The prison features essential facilities including showers, cells, a gym, a reading club, and a video room for entertainment. The game is remarkably realistic, providing a fully immersive experience. Instead of playing as humans, you'll embody animals, adding a unique twist to the storyline and interactions. The depth and variety of gameplay ensure a compelling and enjoyable experience reminiscent of the mobile game "PrisonRPG" and inspired by the popular series "Prison Break." ๐Ÿ“– Story and Depth: The game follows a journalist wrongfully imprisoned as part of a conspiracy, set in a maximum-security prison. You play as animals, adding a unique twist to the survival and manipulation themes. The diverse cast of animal characters, each with distinct backgrounds, enriches the narrative. Your interactions and choices shape the story, which evolves with your actions. Future updates will include new characters, like an undercover police officer, expanding the storyline further. ๐Ÿ† Verdict: This game offers a deeply immersive role-playing experience set in a meticulously designed prison. Its blend of strategic planning, rich character interactions, and engaging storytelling makes it a standout. Players manage resources, navigate intricate social dynamics, and develop inventive escape plans within a darkly comedic setting. What sets it apart is the emphasis on player choice and interaction, contributing to a dynamic and evolving experience. Although the complexity of managing resources and social relations might be daunting for some, the rewards for overcoming these challenges are significant. From my perspective, this game leaves a lasting impression. Itโ€™s incredibly comprehensive, ensuring players are constantly engaged. With future updates promising new characters and scenarios, its appeal will only grow. I highly recommend it to fans of "Prison Break" and similar series, where dealing with prison gangs and investigating intricate plots are key. Having bought the game on release and eagerly awaited its arrival, I find it a must-play for anyone interested in deep, narrative-driven gameplay. โœ… Good: ๐Ÿ‘ Deep Role-Playing: Complex interactions and escape planning. ๐Ÿ‘ Immersive Setting: Detailed prison setting with a darkly humorous tone and a unique twistโ€”players are animals. ๐Ÿ‘ Strategic Gameplay: Engaging resource management and decision-making, including diverse mini-games and jobs. ๐Ÿ‘ Replay Value: Multiple escape routes and faction dynamics. ๐Ÿ‘ Future Updates: New characters, like an undercover officer, will add depth and variety. ๐Ÿ› ๏ธ Ways of Improvement: ๐Ÿ‘Ž Mini-Game Difficulty: Some mini-games, like weightlifting, are too challenging.
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Aug. 2024
---{ Graphics }--- โ˜ You forget what reality is โ˜‘ Beautiful โ˜ Good โ˜ Decent โ˜ Bad โ˜ Donโ€˜t look too long at it โ˜ MS-DOS ---{ Gameplay }--- โ˜‘ Very good โ˜ Good โ˜ It's just gameplay โ˜ Mehh โ˜ Watch paint dry instead โ˜ Just don't ---{ Audio }--- โ˜ Eargasm โ˜ Very good โ˜‘ Good โ˜ Not too bad โ˜ Bad โ˜ I'm now deaf ---{ Audience }--- โ˜‘ Kids โ˜‘ Teens โ˜‘ Adults โ˜ Grandma ---{ PC Requirements }--- โ˜ Check if you can run paint โ˜ Potato โ˜‘ Decent โ˜ Fast โ˜ Rich boi โ˜ Ask NASA if they have a spare computer ---{ Difficulty }--- โ˜ Just press 'W' โ˜‘ Easy โ˜ Easy to learn / Hard to master โ˜ Significant brain usage โ˜ Difficult โ˜ Dark Souls ---{ Grind }--- โ˜ Nothing to grind โ˜ Only if u care about leaderboards/ranks โ˜ Isn't necessary to progress โ˜‘ Average grind level โ˜ Too much grind โ˜ You'll need a second life for grinding ---{ Story }--- โ˜ No Story โ˜ Some lore โ˜ Average โ˜ Good โ˜‘ Lovely โ˜ It'll replace your life ---{ Game Time }--- โ˜ Long enough for a cup of coffee โ˜ Short โ˜ Average โ˜‘ Long โ˜ To infinity and beyond ---{ Price }--- โ˜ It's free! โ˜‘ Worth the price โ˜ If it's on sale โ˜ If u have some spare money left โ˜ Not recommended โ˜ You could also just burn your money ---{ Bugs }--- โ˜‘ Never heard of โ˜ Minor bugs โ˜ Can get annoying โ˜ ARK: Survival Evolved โ˜ The game itself is a big terrarium for bugs ---{ ? / 10 }--- โ˜ 1 โ˜ 2 โ˜ 3 โ˜ 4 โ˜ 5 โ˜ 6 โ˜ 7 โ˜‘ 8 โ˜ 9 โ˜ 10
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May 2024
Try it out, it's pretty good. I used some mods to speed up the text and make the game easier so I could focus on other things. The final boss music was goated, loved it. First time hearing it felt special. Got all the achievements and had fun befriending all the inmates. Will be waiting for the other character stories to be released to enjoy. Loved the game a lot.
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Last Updates
Steam data 12 April 2025 23:04
SteamSpy data 07 April 2025 08:50
Steam price 13 April 2025 20:23
Steam reviews 12 April 2025 23:55

If you'd like to dive deeper into the details about Back to the Dawn, we invite you to check out a few dedicated websites that offer extensive information and insights. These platforms provide valuable data, analysis, and user-generated reports to enhance your understanding of the game and its performance.

  • SteamDB - A comprehensive database of everything on Steam about Back to the Dawn
  • SteamCharts - Analysis of Back to the Dawn concurrent players on Steam
  • ProtonDB - Crowdsourced reports on Linux and Steam Deck Back to the Dawn compatibility
Back to the Dawn
9.0
4,470
342
Online players
84
Developer
Metal Head Games
Publisher
Spiral Up Games
Release 02 Nov 2023
Platforms