Adventure · July 17, 2025

Back to the Dawn (2025)

Back to the Dawn (2025) scores 93% positive on Steam from 4.9k reviews, 81 Metacritic, developed by Metal Head Games.

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Back to the Dawn (2025) is a Adventure title from Metal Head Games available on Windows. The title carries a 93% Steam positive rating across 4.9k reviews, a 81/100 Metacritic score, and 209 peak concurrent players — making it a measurable reference point when comparing to peers in the Adventure category.

Back to the Dawn (动物迷城) A gripping prison escape RPG woven with crime, corruption, and hidden agendas. Step into a maximum-security facility where every inmate has a past—and a plan. You’ll have to fight to survive, investigate, and ultimately break free before the time runs out. Uncover a scheme that threatens more than just your life—it could bring down the entire city. In this thrilling adventure, choices matter, and escape is your only salvation! Choose between two protagonists — Thomas, a reporter caught in a web of lies, or Bob, an undercover agent sent deep into the prison system. Each storyline delivers over 20 hours of engrossing mystery, where your every choice matters. Navigate a prison ruled by three powerful gangs, interact with 47 uniquely crafted inmates, and uncover layers of intrigue through dozens of memorable NPCs. With over 100 handcrafted quests, multiple escape routes—each with its own risks and rewards—several possible endings, and more than 500,000 words of gripping narrative, Back to the Dawn delivers a deeply replayable RPG unlike anything you’ve experienced. Thomas the Fox is a journalist caught up in a dark conspiracy and who got thrown into a maximum-security prison for not playing ball. Working with your attorney friend on the outside, you must collect evidence to save yourself and the city from grave danger! Bob the Panther is an undercover agent who has never failed on any of his missions, but he is growing exhausted of this line of work and wants out. But a personal tragedy drags him back for one last job in prison. Experience a hardboiled tale of betrayal, vengeance, and truth! This is an enormous prison with lots to do and many places to explore, but make sure you follow the rules, or at least try not to get caught! You’ll encounter all kinds of challenges as you explore your new environment. But will you be a model prisoner and just try to keep your head down, or will you leave a trail of chaos and destruction in your wake? It’s all up to you. Meet a colorful cast of inmates in your prison, each with an interesting story to tell. You can either make them your friends or fight, bully and rob them into submission. Will you be part of a gang or a cunning lone wolf? Pick a side! Are you a tough guy who lets his fists do the talking, a thief who hides in the shadows, or perhaps a smooth talker who manipulates the scene? Develop your skills, craft tools to suit your style, and climb your way from “new fish” to “top dog.” In a place built to break you, your sharpest weapon is your creativity and cunning. Every inch of Boulderton Prison might hold the key to your escape, from your prison cell to the infirmary, to the sewers and even the rooftops. Can you break free?

Release & Availability

Release date Jul 17, 2025
Developer Metal Head Games
Publisher Spiral Up Games
Base price $19.19 -20%
DLC / Add-ons 3 released
Platforms Windows
Estimated owners 100k–1M
External links Metacritic page · [email protected]

Release timeline

Back to the Dawn launched on Jul 17, 2025.

Studio and publishing

The title was developed by Metal Head Games and published by Spiral Up Games.

Platform support

Playable natively on Windows.

Packages & editions

  • Buy Back to the Dawn

Reception & Reviews

Steam community score

Steam users rate Back to the Dawn 93% positive across 4.9k reviews — categorised as Very Positive.

4.6k positive · 345 negative

Critic consensus (Metacritic)

Critics aggregated on Metacritic awarded a 81/100 score.

Read the critics →

Curator & community recommendations

Steam curators and players have issued 7.7k recommendations for this title.

Peak concurrent players

Peak concurrent Steam players reached 209 — a measurement of how active the playerbase got at launch or during a surge.

Press quotes

“The excellent visuals and compelling gameplay systems make it one of the best prison escape games I've ever played.” – Worthplaying “This is one of the most compelling, brutal, and rewarding experiences I’ve played in a long time—and it completely won me over.” – Game8 “Back to the Dawn’s strongest writing comes in making you care about these characters, and…

Gameplay Profile

Genres

  • Adventure
  • Indie
  • RPG
  • Simulation
  • Strategy

Community tag consensus

  • RPG · 174
  • Story Rich · 155
  • Pixel Graphics · 154
  • Detective · 132
  • Choices Matter · 126
  • Multiple Endings · 109
  • Adventure · 104
  • Strategy RPG · 103
  • Crime · 99
  • Investigation · 93
  • Singleplayer · 91
  • Mystery · 90

Playtime profile

Community average playtime is 25 hours, with a median of 7 hours — a moderate (15–40 hours) commitment.

Steam achievements

The title ships with 46 Steam achievements to unlock.

Languages supported

Interface / subtitles: Simplified Chinese, English, Japanese, Traditional Chinese, Korean.

Frequently Asked Questions

When was Back to the Dawn released?

Back to the Dawn was released on Jul 17, 2025 by Metal Head Games.

Is Back to the Dawn worth playing?

Based on 4.9k Steam reviews, Back to the Dawn holds a 93% positive rating (Very Positive) — suggesting the game resonates with most players who try it.

What platforms does Back to the Dawn support?

Back to the Dawn runs natively on Windows.

How much does Back to the Dawn cost?

Base price on Steam is $19.19 (before seasonal discounts).

What Metacritic score did Back to the Dawn receive?

Critics rated Back to the Dawn 81/100 on Metacritic.