Back to the Dawn Review
Prison escape RPG Back to the Dawn, featuring anthropomorphic animals, is a gritty, complex experience.
Back to the Dawn. Metal Head Games / Spiral Up Games
Back to the Dawn, from developer Metal Head Games and publisher Spiral Up Games, is an ambitious prison escape RPG that rewards careful planning and creative problem-solving. Playing through Thomas the Fox's story, one of two playable characters available in the game, I was struck by how open-ended everything feels, with multiple viable approaches to nearly every challenge.
Back to the Dawn. Metal Head Games / Spiral Up Games
The complexity here is impressive. The game features 48 different inmates, gang politics, and an intricate web of relationships that all factor into your escape plans. You can be a smooth talker who manipulates situations, a tough guy who lets fists do the talking, or a sneaky thief who works from the shadows. The variety of approaches feels genuinely meaningful rather than superficial. You have to carefully weigh your actions against your likelihood for success based on your stats that will drive the skill check dice rolls, similar to Baldur’s Gate 3.
Back to the Dawn. Metal Head Games / Spiral Up Games
The game brings its prison setting to life through rich character development. Each inmate has their own story to tell and reasons for how they act, with great writing shaping their dialogue. The world-building is genuinely compelling, creating a lived-in environment for the captivating prison drama.
The pixel art is gorgeous, with expressive characters that bring personality to every interaction. The visual style perfectly captures the gritty prison atmosphere while maintaining enough warmth to make the characters feel human, though anthropomorphic animals represent them. The art is easily my favorite aspect of the game.
Back to the Dawn. Metal Head Games / Spiral Up Games
The relentless clock system caused the majority of my frustrations with the game. Time passes automatically when you take most actions, like interacting with objects or talking to other inmates. While I understand this creates tension and forces difficult decisions, I found it suffocating. I would have preferred more control over the pace of time, allowing me to fully explore conversations and opportunities without constantly watching time pass. The time pressure felt artificial and detracted from my enjoyment. If given a choice between realism and fun, I will always choose fun.
Despite that frustration, Back to the Dawn offers something genuinely unique in the RPG space with its unusual setting and character-driven storytelling. It’s a game worth checking out.
Back to the Dawn is available now on Steam and Xbox One / Series X|S.
Overall Score: 8/10
Played on: Steam Deck
