Back to the Dawn: Things to Know Before Your First Playthrough

Back to the Dawn may seem like a cozy pixel-art game at first. But once you're locked behind bars in Boulderton Prison, things take a sharp turn; every decision becomes a matter of life, death, or a shot at freedom.

As an immersive RPG, Back to the Dawn features a range of intricate mechanics designed to give players full control over their journey. Still, the sheer number of items, interactions, and inmates can easily overwhelm newcomers.

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This beginner's guide offers essential tips—some prison codes, if you will—to help you survive and ultimately escape Boulderton Prison.

The following contains minor spoilers for Back to the Dawn story.

11 Put Your Mind, Body, and Stomach First

Otherwise, Prepare to Perish in Prison

Wrapped in several layers of RPG, Back to the Dawn is, at its core, a survival game. The player faces constant threats, whether it's intimidating inmates, violent gang members, or crooked cops. But beyond the danger, there are basic needs that must be met: food, fitness, and sanity, or as the game calls them, Satiety, Body, and Mind.

• Body: Eat well, take vitamins, and maintain good hygiene.
• Mind: Watch TV, drink some liquor, enjoy sweets, play games, and read Playpup magazines.
• Satiety: Don't skip meals, keep cookies in your pocket, and ask friends to share their food.

10 Be a Bookworm to Become a Beast

Books Teach You Everything You Need

Although it may sound counterintuitive, you'll need to read a lot of books to become a feared inmate. In Back to the Dawn, books are the main way to learn new skills essential for min-maxing your build.

The library is in the General Building, located to the right of the Gym in the Recreation Area, next to the mysterious Barbershop. The entrance fee is $20, but it's waived if you join the Black Claw Gang that runs the place.

9 Move to a Single-Bed Cell as Soon as Possible

Let the Fox Spread His Wings

After collecting some Good Conduct Credit, you can ask Captain Bruce to move you to a single-bed cell. Do this as soon as possible because there are clear benefits. For one, you won't have to wait for a cellmate to fall asleep before exploring the Pipe Area (the secret room behind the toilet). You'll also get more slots in the Cabinet, which is useful as your inventory expands.

8 Don't Let Time Fly

Be Picky About Your Interactions

What every beginner Back to the Dawn player needs to know is that time only moves when you interact with a person or object. If you're just walking around or looking at things, time stays frozen. So if you don't want to waste precious days, choose your interactions carefully.

Remember, your goal is to escape the prison in under 21 days. Every time you go to bed without completing key objectives, you're losing valuable time. It's a race against the clock.

7 Try Some Illegal Activities, It's Okay

But Try Not to Get Caught

Place a bet on the underground boxing matches—ironically held on the prison's second floor. Try doing business with gang affiliates and selling contraband items to the Barbershop for some extra cash.

Pickpocketing is another profitable venture once you bond with Bam. He teaches you the ESP skill, which lets you pick inmates' pockets from a distance. Even if you fail, there's zero chance of getting caught.

6 Hold on to Keys

They Can Unlock the Unthinkable

Along your journey in this detective-style RPG, you'll come across many mundane-looking items like random keys. Hold onto them. Keys can be especially useful when exploring restricted areas, saving you the trouble of lockpicking or hacking into security systems.

Back to the Dawn's Cheap Key, for example, may seem useless at first. But if you hang on to it, it eventually grants access to the Kitchen Cellar's liquor storage, where you can loot some premium drinks.

5 Build Bonds that Back Your Build

They Can Be Your Win Condition

Each inmate you bond with teaches you a unique skill. For example, Sam the Donkey shows you how to repair broken items, while Jimmy the Giraffe teaches you the Hidden Backdoor ability, which helps you crack electronic codes more easily.

By choosing the right fellow felons, you can min-max your build. Focus on bonding with inmates who offer practical skills that align with your prioritized stats. Don't waste your gifts on those who are just "cool" or "attractive."

4 Pay Regular Visits to the Infirmary

Heal, Flirt, and Steal Some Pills

Painkillers, sleeping pills, and bandages are priceless in prison; that's common sense. But where do you get them? You can either pay smugglers hundreds of dollars or, if you're smart, pretend you're unwell, ask a guard to take you to the infirmary, and steal the supplies you need.

To visit the infirmary in Back to the Dawn, talk to Billy the Bull Terrier. He's the guard by the Cell Block A entrance who gives you free weekly items. Ask him to take you to the infirmary, and he'll usually help right away.

Keep in mind that Beth the Poodle, the prison doctor, leaves work at 5:30 PM. You'll want to visit before then, or you won't be able to loot the valuable items in her room—unless you know the password. (Hint: it's Beth's birthdate, which is a unique number in each playthrough.)

Also, when she asks what treatment you need, choose pills and painkillers. This will make her leave the room for a few minutes, giving you the chance to look around and steal valuable supplies.

3 Turn on the Gift-Giving Hints in the Settings

Find Out Who Loves What with No Hassle

Go to the settings' gameplay section and turn on the option to receive hints about NPCs' favorite gifts. With this enabled, you'll get tips during bonding missions to help you figure out the best gift for each character.

To see the tips, open their info card (the box showing their inventory and stats), then hover over the Gifts tab in the top right corner. Keep in mind the tips won't appear right away; you'll need to build your bond with the NPC first.

2 Get Into the Extortion Business Early

Don't If You Are a Moralist

After becoming a reputable and somewhat feared prisoner, you can extort inmates weaker than you. To extort, interact with an inmate and ask them to give up their money, just like Crunchy the Crocodile did to you at the start of Back to the Dawn.

If you want to master extortion, bond with Hakuna the Warthog. He will teach you the Scarface ability, which increases your success rate when extorting.