
Back to the Dawn is a story-rich RPG set in a high-security prison ruled by factions and buried secrets. Investigate two conspiracies from the inside, gather evidence, and outsmart a system designed to silence you. Make friends (or foes) with fellow inmates and with their help, break out of prison.
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About
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?

Genres
Stats
All-time low is the lowest price we've recorded for this game since we started tracking it.
Languages: Simplified Chinese, English, Japanese, Traditional Chinese, Korean, Russian, Spanish - Latin America, Vietnamese
Updates
Build ids and update times come straight from Steam's PICS — the same source SteamDB reads. Patch history grows as we record new builds.
Engagement
Hours played at review time, across 67 reviews with recorded playtime.
Reviews
Themes across 67 recent reviews and how positive each mention is. A keyword signal, not full sentiment analysis.
positive critical· bar length = how often the theme comes up
Reviews
I haven't owned this game for long, but already at 100+ hours in I can safely say it's one of the best I've ever played. My sleep cycle is ruined, the last of my braincells consumed by this masterpiece that has invaded my dreams. There are 47 prisoners not counting your character, all of them are distinct, with not only the expected writing work done of each having their own backstory, not only with gift preferences, sometimes gang loyalties, stats and the various mechanical systems one would expect, each day there are many unique conversations between these prisoners that in addition to being mechanically rewarding for the player to listen in on, also can reveal active subplots and insights into these characters. All of this occurring within the backdrop of 21 days to solve and expose a conspiracy and escape. Your choice of which of the 2 currently available characters you wish to play as does not erase them from the narrative, as Thomas you can interact with Bob and are given a sense of his progression through the narrative if you so choose and vice versa. I could write for days singing the praises of the writing alone. Mechanically this game is diabolical. It's systems and loops have brought out the worst and best in me. Never before I have I so frantically squeezed out every ounce of productivity I can within a digital day. Never before have I felt more rewarded for learning such systems and secrets. My dopamine circuitry is forever fried. A piece of me will always remain trapped in this prison. I am in the Fallen Angels nightclub shaking my ass, high off drugs I procured via trading shanks and fake cigarettes among noble and depraved men. I do not wish to go back to the dawn, I wish to keep dancing. A triumph if there ever was one. 10 systemically oppressed furry felons out of 10
Reviewing (mostly) every game (or DLC) in my library, part 640: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (10/10) Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ! I don’t know how to begin this review when everything in the game is perfect. Seriously, I can’t believe how many systems this game juggles without collapsing. How do I explain it? [i]Back to the Dawn[/i] is part immersive sim, part RPG, part point-and-click, and completely amazing. Seriously. The game does [i]everything[/i] well. It has a complex economy, job, and friendship system, 40+ unique NPCs, multiple questlines, charming pixel art, encouraged replayability, a humongous map, mechanics focused on realism and creativity, great QoL, and, to put the cherry on top, an unmovable 45 FPS on Deck. Honestly, I was just breathlessly captured by this game, and I played it straight over the course of a week. Buy it. Try it. [b]A MAJOR thank you to the team for giving me a free review copy (a year ago...)![/b] [b][h2]Pros:[/h2][/b] ✅[b] Did I mention the 40+ unique NPCs?[/b] That each have their own backstories, learnable special talents, likes, and dislikes? Because there’re 40+ unique NPCs. That each have their … well, you get it. You have a sleepy sloth, a drunk panda, a sly panther, three pig brothers, a boxer kangaroo, and much more. Every character in this game is well-written, and man, some damn heart-wrenching stories about how they ended up in prison. My favorite quirk was how the NPCs have their own relationships and dialogue you can eavesdrop on, and their own little side-plots that advance even without you. ✅[b] Storylines.[/b] The story is delivered gradually: through dialogues, secrets, situations, and thoughts. I thought the initial setting was a bit silly, but the themes are quite earnest! Though the characters are animals, the heart of the game is about humans, power, justice, and the lengths people go through to achieve their goals. ✅[b] 21-day time limit.[/b] Listen, I get it; I have choice paralysis with time limits. But for once, a time limit actually [i]works.[/i] First, the game is crafted around having that time limit, which improves pacing. As I found out in the end, having too much free time leads to boredom. Having such a tight window of opportunity actually makes your choices meaningful. Second, the game is clearly meant to be replayed (with NG+). I didn’t stress because I knew I would get a bad ending. I just focused on having [i]fun[/i] and seeing all I could. Third, the devs have released a free DLC, so you could cheat if you want (achievements will be disabled)! ➡️[b] It’s also very realistic.[/b] Virtually everything you do except waiting or walking takes actual in-game time. You can only work in the mornings. Prisoners will have their own routine. You don’t just eat ramen; you need hot water at those drinking stations. You need a match to smoke a cigarette. Sleeping without a blanket will make you cold, lowering your health. So much detail! ✅[b] Mechanics.[/b] All right, this will be a long one. But the RPG experience is so solid. There’s your decision-making, first off. Choosing one out of three initial backgrounds will affect your beginning greatly. You must then choose which prison gang to join (which is a whole quest on its own). You can choose between different jobs, deal with contraband, exercise, even bathe! And, of course, try to escape … There’s so much freedom allowed, with countless different ways to achieve your goal. ➡️[b] The game is a constant juggle of inventory management.[/b] Like, which quests are worth doing, and how long will it take? Never mind that, what’s the best time to do it? How much energy do I need? Characters and locations too! What do people want, and how do you get it for them? How can you go into those secret rooms? It’s wonderful seeing the barriers of the game fade away as you gain new information (quite a bit being subtle and needing paying attention to). ➡️[b] I loved the dice-rolling aspect, which never felt unfair.[/b] You're allowed to reroll, and there are tons of ways to boost your stats through equipment, items, and skills. Most of the difficulty that you'll experience will come from a lack of skills or a lack of game knowledge. It’s rewarding to overcome quests and checks with clever planning. ✅[b] Art.[/b] Usually, I don’t like pixel-art—I find it quite difficult to differentiate—but the artists have quite the eye for detail. Each character sprite is unique, represented by their own animal, and they all have interesting touches. A rhino towers over smaller animals; a llama sways from side to side; a closed-off lion will cross his arms. It's also impressive how much variety the developers squeeze out of a single location. Every area of the prison has its own purpose, personality, and mood. Like, yeah, the Cell Blocks are grey and drab, but that’s what makes visiting the Recreation Grounds all the better! There’s a nasty Sewer area, a cozy library, and a tiny cell for Segregation. I was also awed by how even a thirty-second epilogue gets a beautiful background, complete with tiny animations and sound effects. ✅[b] QoL.[/b] There’s an introduction to each character, along with notes on their likes, dislikes, and how to improve your bond with them. There’s fast travel, thank GOD, and a neat button to go up or down one floor in the jail cells (you’ll know what I mean), and a “return to cell” button. [b][h2]Cons:[/h2][/b] 🟥 [b] Some small nitpicks, but the two romances are lacking. [/b] Maggie and Beth are mostly mechanical, and you can only interact with them once a day. Why can’t I be a gay fox and romance Chris or Ray? 🟥[b] Can be overwhelming at first. [/b]As you might have noticed, there’s a lot of [i]stuff[/i] going on, and the difficulty curve could be steep at first. 🟥[b] My boy Thomas runs so SLOW.[/b] And the prison is huge, man! [hr] If you enjoyed this review, please check out my curator page to find more: [url=https://store.steampowered.com/curator/45814768-Verdict-Play-or-Pass/]Verdict: Play or Pass. [/url] Also, please leave a like and visit [url=https://steamcommunity.com/groups/Indie_Gems]IndieGems[/url] and our [url=https://www.youtube.com/@IndieGems2]YouTube channel[/url] for more reviews like this one. [/hr]
Лучшая игра про побег из тюрьмы в истории планеты. Креативно, с юмором и интересными геймплейными фишками. Спасибо Tracker и PowerPuff за подгон)
I'm addicted. This game got me staying up past sleep hours each time I play. The gameplay and progression is so addicting, every little thing you do feels like a massive step towards either the story or towards making your character super strong. This game HIGHLY encourages multiple playthrough's as you can search and explore possibilities and then take them to the next gameplay to further progress what you may have missed. This type of gameplay (for me, at least) really drives me to want to finish all stories and routes. Currently working on 100%'ing this game, and I will do my best to get it! It's that fun, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND! Plus cute furries who could say no?
逐步更新我的想法和告诉新手的注意事项😊 边玩边更新!喜欢的就 cy(⁎⁍̴̛ᴗ⁍̴̛⁎) 如果你是刚入坑但喜欢自己探索的玩家,可以直接略过,毕竟看攻略会减少一部分游戏时长。 尽量不会涉及任何剧透 一、游戏底层逻辑: 1.好感度 不论是囚犯,警官,还是教父,所有人的好感度都很重要,是推进游戏解锁剧情的关键 一个囚犯喜欢的礼物基本他身上就有,可以偷过来再送,送完再偷😏,普通物品加的好感只有 100 点左右,越稀有加的越多。 2.经验 经常偷东西的话,敏捷经验最不缺,所以海报、配饰选择优先智力,其次魅力和力量经验 3.体力 优先解锁警官室,进门右手边,一个专注点摸一个咖啡豆。后期专注点多一次摸三个绝对够用。 一个咖啡豆 30 体力。咖啡豆直接吃不建议磨成粉。咖啡粉要磨需要花时间,还要用水泡,加的体力也就 20,一个咖啡豆磨 两个咖啡粉,性价比极低。 总结:咖啡粉用来送人,咖啡豆吃 二、你需要铭记的注意事项 1.@教堂 每天必做:做位置上祷告 优先找教父安德森买《石刻护身符》 护身符注释:灵感行动点数+2 获得魅力经验时间额外获得 30% 智力经验 2.@健身:做之前准备好蛋白粉,直接从身边大脚板帮身上偷就行
Супер клевая игра, всем рекомендую
One of my favorite RPGs I've played. A lot of interesting characters. The game encourages the player to explore and rewards curiosity. Many branching paths and possibilities. Definitely recommend this. Going in for another playthrough.
一周目忍辱负重, 二周目精打细算, 三周目信手拈来。 非常优秀的国产CRPG, 快点出新角色DLC 急急急急急
Очень понравился визуал 3D + пиксельный 2D. Очень необычно и выглядит классно. Особенно понравился сюжет с разными вариантами побега. Стиль, разговоры и анимации достойны особой похвалы. Играл в первый раз и почти сразу же прошел игру, но не хватило пару дней, чтобы получить нужные предметы. Игрушку очень советую.
探索性太强,玩着玩着总会给“这居然也能行”,“这居然还有路”的感觉。剧情上狐狸线堪称完美以至于黑豹线略显平庸了。期待灰猫线!
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Trends
Modeled estimate over time, reconstructed from Steam's monthly review histogram.
Engagement
DAU/MAU are modeled from peak concurrent players (≈×8 and ×28) — Steam publishes no active-user counts, so treat these as rough estimates, not reported figures.
Audience
Estimated from the language of this game's reviews — a proxy for where players are, not official Steam demographics.
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