(Image courtesy of SteamDB. “‘Back to the Dawn’ provides players with two distinct characters, allowing them to experience two different storylines in the same gritty setting.”)
Jesse Nguyen
Connector Editor
When “Zootopia” meets high stakes political corruption, prison life and capitalism, out comes “Back to the Dawn,” which shines as a unique take on the prison escape/life simulator RPG genre. Developed by Metal Head Games and published by Spiral Up Games, the indie game was officially released on Steam on July 17, 2025. Set in a world of anthropomorphic animals, players can choose between two characters to start their prison journey, Thomas the Fox or Bob the Black Panther. Thomas is an honest yet clever investigative journalist that gets framed for a crime he didn’t commit when he tries to expose the mayor of political corruption. Bob is a hulking undercover detective, hoping to find the mysterious Fenrir the Wolf, rumored to be hiding somewhere in prison.
New players are recommended to start out as Thomas the Fox, as his narrative is structured in a way that lets the player discover the game’s difficult mechanics gradually. Thomas’ story also provides the foundational knowledge and background of the world that can enhance Bob’s narrative and the events of the prison. Thomas is also unaffiliated with a prison gang in the beginning of a playthrough, whereas Bob starts as a Sharp Tooth gang member. Thomas works in tandem with his lawyer on the outside, a red panda named Reed, to help uncover the dark conspiracy holding Thomas captive.
The colorful cast of anthropomorphic characters are as equal parts comedic and intriguing as they are terrifying and realistic. For example, Chris the Lynx is a seduction artist, who can sell the player items such as scented soap to win over the favor of inmates. Whitey the Rabbit is a talented magician who can teach the player spells, and Noodle the Raccoon has swift hands, perfect for winning poker games. But other inmates are not so friendly, with Sharp Tooth Gang member Crunchy the Crocodile occasionally extorting money from the player. Fail a dice roll in persuading him to leave Thomas alone, and the player will find Crunchy or themselves in the infirmary. Other inmates suffer from realistic situations, such as severe mental illnesses, debt, unrequited love or substance abuse. Interestingly, most prison staff and guards are some species of canine.
Additonally, the game doesn’t shy away from clever name choices, often nodding to famous films and characters, such as Perry the Platypus, Alex the Lion, Ceaser the Chimp, Kevin the Koala and Judy the Rabbit. The player can talk to them throughout the day, and they can be found conversing with each other, in which the player can listen in.
In terms of gameplay, the game revolves around keeping up various stats and managing your resources within allotted times. The prison follows a strict daily schedule where players are locked in certain areas for the day. In the morning, players can work to earn honest money. Then comes lunch, where players can order food that boosts their stamina, mind or body, which are stats that dictate Thomas’ wellbeing. When mind or body start to dip too low, it can be hard to recover it to a healthy level, and there’s a possibility of Thomas getting nightmares and developing depression. Skip out on too many meals, and Thomas will starve, making his mind and body periodically decrease. While this system can be stressful and difficult at first, it’s rewarding and fair.
During recreation, players are locked outside of the main building but can engage in various activities such as reading in the library, accepting quests or working out in the gym. This comes with a small fee, since business thrives in prison. Activities are usually in the form of various minigames. Working out, for example, requires the player to accurately and quickly press a sequence of buttons. These activities can provide money, or increase stats like strength and charisma, like other traditional RPGS. Higher leveled stats can make persuading or assaulting inmates in turn-based combat easier.
Stamina and time are the primary cost in doing these activities. Players have a total of 120 stamina, which they can replenish by resting on benches or chairs at the cost of spending time. Time doesn’t flow naturally in “Back to the Dawn,” time flows by performing actions or activities that can take as little as one minute or up to 30, so players will need to spend their time wisely since a day is limited. If the player gets too greedy with time Thomas may end up waking up exhausted.
There is a limited number of days the player has before the mayor is elected, and if the player isn’t quick enough to gather evidence or escape, Thomas’ efforts to expose him fail, keeping him locked up forever.
If players are looking for a highly stylized pixel RPG with a satisfying challenge, witty humor and a compelling narrative with multiple endings, “Back to the Dawn” is worthy of a pickup. It is currently sold at an affordable price of $29.99 on the Steam store.
Grade: A+
