Indiana Jones and the Great Circle
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle
Game
Game2025
Back to the Dawn
Developer Metal Head Games
Back to the Dawn is a 2025 indie role-playing video game developed by Metal Head Games and published by Spiral Up Games. The early access version of the game was released for Windows and Xbox Series X/S in late 2023. Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2 obtained the game with no early access version in early 2026 . At this time, the game exclusively featured the story of Thomas the Fox, but with the full release of… From Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)
290 reactions from 3 sources (Steam reviews, Bluesky, Mastodon) · newest Oct 4, 2026 · last updated Oct 7, 2026 · How this works
Audience score
94
LovedLoved
196 positive · 13 negative
95% range 90–96%
| Source | + | − | = |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steam reviews | 196 | 13 | 0 |
| Bluesky * | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Mastodon * | 0 | 0 | 0 |
* shown, not counted in the score (label accuracy below our 85% bar or not yet audited).
81 newer reactions are still waiting for a label.
Steam's own rating
Very Positive
9,887 of 10,464 reviews positive (all languages, per Valve)
What people are saying
Summary pending — the reactions are listed below.
Reactions
60 of 290 · most liked firstBack to the Dawn The game is incredibly challenging, but it delivers a kind of emotion that’s hard to put into words. It even makes me want to draw some fan art for it.😭❤️
unlabelledView post →Don't know if y'all have played the game "Back to the Dawn" but if you see Crunchy you better give him your lunch money or hope your undies break before you do 😣 Amazing art from @haxsmacks.bsky.social
unlabelledView post →"Double or Nothing" -- It's here, Back to the Dawn is officially launched on Steam! I really wanted to make a piece of art that reminds me of those gaming print ads, featuring my boy Noodle from the game. I highly recommend giving it a shot, and congrats to the dev team for their release!
unlabelledView post →played Back to the Dawn recently. fantastic game, but for some reason i felt way less motivated to escape from prison after meeting the big buff tiger dude in my cell block 🥴 curious! uh. anyway his name's John and he wishes you'd leave him alone
unlabelledView post →took a second, years later look at that furry prison break game Back to the Dawn, finding my opinions remain the same: tonally dissonant story, "eh, s'alright" gameplay, and holy shit incredible sprite animation. snk bankrupting itself with a new metal slug kinda shit but for animating furries
unlabelledView post →....This is helping him get out of jail right? This is a Patreon Piece from November 2023, featuring Thomas the Fox from Back to the Dawn (steam game) about jail escape! www.furaffinity.net/view/58270973/
unlabelledView post →*New game on Game Pass PC* 👮BACK TO THE DAWN🔥 Political conspiracies, prison survival (maybe escape 🤷), gangs, and finding places to poop 💩! #indiegames
unlabelledView post →I really love the game, but the time limit made me rush through most of it. I understand that it fits the story, but I’d prefer to play without any time restrictions. If you enjoy replaying games multiple times to escape through different routes, then this game is definitely for you.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I just got to that part in Back to the Dawn, that game was definitely designed with gamers in mind
unlabelledView post →Is the game "Back to the Dawn" any good? Its on playpass and my eyes immediately noticed this haha
unlabelledView post →The core concept of the game is pretty simple: explore a prison and execute an escape within 21 days. While there is a time limit on your victory, the game is pretty lenient: time only passes when you actually perform an action, so you aren't punished if you have to backtrack or need some time to decide what you want to do. There's a lot of decision-making in each day: do you want to keep your head down and earn some money with prison jobs, build up relationships with other inmates, make a…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Coming to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate: • Today | High On Life • Jul 17 | RoboCop: Rogue City • Jul 17 | My Friendly Neighborhood • Jul 18 | Back to the Dawn • Jul 22 | Abiotic Factor • Jul 23 | Wheel World news.xbox.com/en-us/2025/0...
unlabelledView post →Xbox Game Pass | Coming Soon 7/17: RoboCop: Rogue City 7/17: My Friendly Neighborhood 7/18: Back to the Dawn 7/22: Abiotic Factor 7/23: Wheel World 7/24: Wuchang: Fallen Feathers 7/29: Grounded 2 (Game Preview) 8/1: Farming Simulator 25 ➡️ news.xbox.com/en-us/2025/0... #XboxGamePass
unlabelledView post →I recently finished Back to the Dawn, an anthro prison RPG. It was a very good game! There's not a lot of games these days that hold my attention, not even Silksong, but BttD managed it with a sort of "one more day" loop that was engaging and addictive.
unlabelledView post →To summarize my experience playing this game, it's like getting blue balled. I enjoyed the music, art, and characters very much. The overall package is done very well, but the game biggest downfall is the deadline of the 21 days. It holds the game back a lot and prevent especially new players from exploring the game and letting the storyline unravel itself. The game punish you if you did not complete certain tasks on certain days, even when playing on the New Eden Mode. I hope the dev reads…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Another fanart yall!!! this time featuring Bob from Back to the Dawn. Check out the game!! #backtothedawn #furrygame #furry #furryart
unlabelledView post →I was pleasantly surprised when I found out that the game was made by Chinese developers. Usually, at least in my perception, Chinese games often feel "copy-paste" - technically fine, but lacking soul. Back To The Dawn completely breaks that stereotype. This game looks, sounds, and feels outstanding. A true masterpiece. The story is delivered gradually and very thoughtfully - through dialogues, situations, and player choices. It allows you to deeply understand the characters’ motivations and…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →this is reminding me that there was also this furry prison game i played earlier this year, Back to the Dawn, which i had very mixed opinions on as a game, but the sprite animation even for little things was ridiculous. 'SNK bankrupting themselves animating metal slug' kinda stuff.
unlabelledView post →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? Back to the Dawn is part immersive sim, part RPG, part point-and-click, and completely amazing. Seriously. The game does everything well. It has a complex economy, job, and friendship system, 40+…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Hidden Gem That Seems Deeper Than It Actually Is At first, I bought this game and played it for just 2 hours to see if it was worth it. And I was amazed! It truly looked like a perfect game, with endless content, total freedom, deep mechanics, and characters you actually want to know better. I immediately thought that this was not just "another indie game." It was WAY better than that. Then, after another 23 hours, my emotions became a bit colder, although the game is still great. So, where…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Does anyone have any life-sim game recommendations? I really like "I Was a Teenage Exocolonist" and "Back to the Dawn", but it's a very rare and niche genre. Basically the ones where you live out a life/routine, build your stats, make story choices and build relationships
unlabelledView post →I was admittedly hesitant to buy this game because I'm not really into the furry or anthro stuff, personally. But it was rated overwhelmingly positive and it was on sale, so I went for it anyway, and that was the best choice possible. The art is amazing. The attention to detail in every minigame, character interaction, story beat, level, scene, etc etc is truly above and beyond. You can feel the love that was put into this game. The combat was difficult to grasp at first for me but you can…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Absolute banger of a game, ignore the reviews about people who are quitting after 30 minutes because "too much things to keep track of" it's really not that bad, it does it all in a cohesive way, and that's coming from someone who has the worst short term memory and hates things like that. This game is amazing, it's super easy to play for hours because the mechanics keep you engaged. Also has some nice design choices that respect the players time, i can see myself playing this game for awhile.…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →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…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Injustice leads to prison experience for our protagonist, and so we are just thrown into jail and trying to get our way back out. I do like the whole story, the vibe the prison gives off with all its prisoners and staff, and the main characters we get to play as. (Only played as Thomas so far) What I didn't like as much was being lost as to what to do next, a lot. Time pressure came on top of that, and I finished two playthroughs, not getting out and not getting another ending, even though I…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Certainly a very well developed and excellent game in its own right. The sheer multitude of branching paths and different methods you can use to escape the prison allows for a lot of replayability (although needing to redo the main story quests every time gets tedious after the 2nd run). HOWEVER COMMA there's something very important people should know before playing this game that the game makes no effort to communicate (hell I think they try to hide it). If you play this game blind there's a…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Incredibly interesting game in terms of the RPG elements, Incredibly well written and immensely satisfying to complete goals within, The Escapists was the very first game I owned on steam and this game pretty much takes everything that was good about that game in regards to Prison life and enhances it incredibly, each character within the prison feels distinct from one another not just in design but in personality, and you'll easily find yourself picking favourites (shoutout my guy Lin), and be…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Best story driven game I've ever played, heck probably the best game I've ever played. There is so much to do and even though I've beaten the game multiple times I'm still finding new things that I didn't even know were in the game. 10/10 best game ever
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Great game, great story, well written side characters. Nice soundtrack, a lot of welcomed characters (Timon and Pumbaa, Walter White etc.) But everything was irrelevant because of grinding friendship with cellmates, ingame timer (21 days), difference between escape difficulty (by sewers - a lot of grind for items, and a wall in laundry room - the most easy one) and useless items (alcohol lamp). You must grind friendship with panda from the start of the game - because it's almost critical for…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I find it funny that Back to the Dawn is going for some "male appeal"/gaybaiting posts in twitter to sell the game but when you actually play it, not only are the characters straight, I think there's almost no gay characters in it lmao
unlabelledView post →But BACK TO THE OTHER GAME, because, fuck me I played Back To The Dawn aaaalll weekend. I'm 20 hours in. I'm starting to catalog scissors I see lying around the house all "hmmm, with a piece of wood and 4 rolls of tape I could make an advanced pickaxe." It is a deeply enthralling prison break RPG.
unlabelledView post →A fantastic prison break RPG filled with wonderful writing, beautiful art, and an immersive story. For anyone who likes puzzles and multiple storylines, this game is for you! However, despite being out for over half a year we are still waiting on news/release of the third playable character, with no further news of updates aside from the console ports (which are apparently getting voiceover in Japanese and Chinese voice acting but no news if we'll be getting those on PC, or if an English…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →8 Games Leaving XBOX Game Pass on July 31 • Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord • Whiskerwood (Game Preview) • Crusader Kings III • Sniper Elite: Resistance • Back to the Dawn • Celeste • Rain World • My Friendly Neighborhood
unlabelledView post →Fun game, great characters (even if many of them are just referential humor), and interesting multi-layered stories. Try to complete every quest you get, even if you want to keep the items they want on delivery, there are many many surprises lurking around every corner when you least expect it. You feel encouraged to try every ending you learn about, just to see where the story goes. I do find it rather unfortunate that there's never any real incentive to complete both Bond levels for any…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Imagine making a furry game with only straight relationships are available "Back to the Dawn" reeks of straight dev syndrome
unlabelledView post →Game plays well but weight of RNG is extremely high. Difficulty doesn't make sense as you are at mercy of RNG all the time. Save-Scumming is gonna be your friend throughout the entire game. Nightmare mechanic can put you behind and fail your runs or change your plans in not fun ways from the very start of game. This mechanic will change your resource management throughout entire game. Not only you have to care for : Time, satiety, fullness, HP, mental health, routine of other inmates,…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Really fun addictive gameplay loop, with good writing and a ton of different endings for each of the multiple characters: highly replayable. Unfortunately, the game ♥♥♥♥♥ you over without warning by locking you out of most progress for a few days right near the end. In my case, this caused what would have been a successful run to unexpectedly fail, as I realised I would no longer have enough days to achieve any good endings, which left me feeling like my (considerable) time spent was wasted.…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →TL;DR: 8/10 If you LIKE games where there are multiple endings, whether you like them because you are a completionist or you are like me who likes to make decisions in-character. Then this is a good game to grab on sale or even the full price. (Side note: You are probably not going to finish the game on the first playthrough. However, there is a system to help you play the next run/runs easier.)…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →zootopia in prison
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →🦊 Back to the Dawn 🔑 Escape, survive, and outsmart in this compelling prison RPG! Blend strategy, story, and survival as you navigate Boulderton Prison. This one's already generating buzz as a top indie game of 2025! #indiegames #PrisonRPG #SurvivalGame #StoryRich
unlabelledView post →At first i thought it was like a Escapist type of game but i was wronged really fast. Nice story i enjoyed it a lot it is really a hidden gem. Will 100% it i just need time..... 10/10 would recommend
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Incredible game. There is just so much to praise here. From the top notch writing to the extensive variety of game mechanics that create a really extended, varied, and fun game loop. I could go on and on. In the end, I was just simply blown away by just how well everything in this game is put together. I went expecting something good based off the reviews, trailers and store page description but I got something that was way beyond my expectations.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Mechanics - A- (combat is poorer than the rest of the game, but otherwise, very enjoyable Min/Max gameplay; WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY better than Disco Craplysium) Story - C+ (NPCs backstories are revealed via lengthy text files when you bond instead of having an actual conversation which is really boring, Grammar is rly bad, some cutscenes are horrible (glad you can skip them after the first time), lots of contrived boring or cliche dialogue, a few plot points that take away player agency and…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Öoo (breezy metroidbrainina) Cabernet (adventure game. Pentiment-ish) Kathy Rain 2: The Soothsayer Back to the Dawn (prison escape rpg) House of Necrosis (resident evil mystery dungeon)
unlabelledView post →"You don’t often expect the level of story-crafting woven into games like Back to the Dawn; a gritty, engrossing, and multi-layered RPG game, but I found myself locked inside the prison narrative just like its protagonists" Our Review of #BackToTheDawn is now live on GF! #furry #indiegame #indiedev
unlabelledView post →Back to the Dawn! The furry horny jail simulator. I played the shit out of the demo already and it's a real fun adventure / resource management game with some awesome characters.
unlabelledView post →Fantastic game. Lovingly crafted scenario with lots to discover and explore. There is a lot of management here, but it doesn't feel dry like I need to make a spreadsheet to execute each day. Actions take time, and the day is segmented limiting your actions. Work happens in the morning, then after lunch is recreation in the afternoon. In the evening is when you can engage in extracurricular activities and finally there is night (post-lockdown) where you can engage in... hijinks. Many actions…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This game helped fill the escapists video game hole in my heart. Feels like disco elysium combind with escapists. Wonderful stuff. Can't wait from my panther run
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Лучшая игра про побег из тюрьмы в истории планеты. Креативно, с юмором и интересными геймплейными фишками. Спасибо Tracker и PowerPuff за подгон)
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Absolutely amazing! Masterpiece! One of the most approachable crime RPGs out there. The story is quite engaging and very easy to grasp. The dialogue is rather upfront and straight to the point while keeping a healthy dose of subtext, little time is wasted on the endless introspection bloat that's common on the genre. The game is meticulously crafted. Everything is scripted down to each in game hour for the 21 days. Where each of the 47 characters is and the conversations they're having and…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Completed a #commission for Haru!! Ty so much for the support, I loved getting to draw Lulu! <3 <3 <3 Style was roughly inspired by a game called Back to the Dawn #commissionsopen #art #cat #backtothedawn #petportrait
unlabelledView post →Anyways yep, finally beat it via a route I just kinda stumbled across cus I'd done things a particular way, which felt nice? So all that BUT HOW COULD I HAVE KNOWN got cancelled out by lucky choices and fun design, yay! Back To The Dawn is a good-ass game, damn, that's my GOTY. Also, 40 hours? Wow.
unlabelledView post →This game consumed my life for around 2 weeks. I did 100% completion all achievements, did everything I wanted to do because it captivated me so much. The gameplay is kind of like Disco Elysium except if it was furry and actually good. The game's setting is a prison, and it's supposed to be miserable here. But the prison feels welcoming and closer to a home than a miserable prison. It's extremely lively and people have full lives here. If you dig in, you'll find out that some of the characters…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Preorders are live on Standard and Limited Editions of Back to the Dawn NSW / NSW2 [Game Key-Card] JPN Multi-Language Imports at VGP! 👉 tinyurl.com/ykdda5fx - March 5th, 2026 - Limited Edition Ships Free - Enjoy Free Shipping when you spend $75 / 53 USD
unlabelledView post →Too much to track too early. If you enjoy grindy games that require you to learn several different systems just to get by including, literally, when you need to poop, this might be the one for you. It just stressed me out figuring out all the ♥♥♥♥ I had to do and when.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Hey everyone! I'm live with Back to the Dawn, a furry prison break game! Come hang out! wuff.dad
unlabelledView post →Starting a new game on www.twitch.tv/nerfherder_g... - going to try Back to the Dawn, a crime game with woodland animals! Which seems to be a thing that happens a lot, why is that do you think? #twitch #stream #indiegame #backtothedawn
unlabelledView post →so addicting it consumes my life
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Do not buy this game. The developers have made some very questionable decisions regarding their business practices. Throughout Early Access, the game displayed a third character slot in the character selection menu, creating the clear expectation that the game would include a third playable character. The second character was added, but when Version 1.0 launched, the developers declared the base game complete without ever adding the third character. Even after release, the empty third…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →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.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →
Posts are quoted from public profiles with links to the original. Want yours removed? Contact us.
You Might Also Like
similar titlesFINAL FANTASY VII REBIRTH
FINAL FANTASY VII REBIRTH
Game
Little Kitty, Big City
Little Kitty, Big City
Game
What Remains of Edith Finch
What Remains of Edith Finch
Game
DRAGON QUEST VII Reimagined
DRAGON QUEST VII Reimagined
Game
Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance
Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance
Game