Coming to Nintendo Switch 2 / Nintendo Switch
Back to the Dawn
Demo Version now available!
Read on for the first installment of BTTD Express,
a 4-part series showcasing the characters and game system!
Clouded Leopard Entertainment Inc. (CEO: Yuen-Yuen Chen; hereinafter referred to as CLE) is pleased to announce that starting Thursday, February 5, 2026, the demo version for Back to the Dawn, a suspense-driven prison break RPG developed by Metal Head Games, is now available for download on the Nintendo eShop for Nintendo Switch™ 2 and Nintendo Switch™.
In this demo, players can experience the game from the very beginning of Thomas’s story through the end of his second day in prison. Even first-time players will be able to fully immerse themselves in the world of Back to the Dawn and enjoy the thrilling, unforgiving story of life behind bars. Additionally, save data created in the demo can be carried over to the full version of the game.
▼Back to the Dawn Nintendo eShop Page
・Nintendo Switch 2
United States：
https://www.nintendo.com/us/store/products/back-to-the-dawn-switch-2/
UK & Ireland：
https://www.nintendo.com/en-gb/Games/Nintendo-Switch-2-games/Back-to-the-Dawn-3015380.html
・Nintendo Switch
United States：
https://www.nintendo.com/us/store/products/back-to-the-dawn-switch/
UK & Ireland：
https://www.nintendo.com/en-gb/Games/Nintendo-Switch-download-software/Back-to-the-Dawn-3015376.html
■Newly Recorded Voices for a Cast of Distinctive Characters!
Back to the Dawn is a suspense-driven prison break RPG developed by Metal Head Games, an indie game studio based in Shanghai. The title has received numerous game awards around the world.
The game features a wide array of memorable characters, including 47 inmates, prison guards, and allies operating outside the prison. For the Nintendo Switch™ 2 / Nintendo Switch™ and PlayStation®5 versions released by CLE, not only have the subtitle languages been further refined, but brand-new Japanese and Chinese character voice acting has also been recorded. The two protagonists will be voiced in Japanese by Shugo Nakamura, who plays Thomas the Fox (known for roles such as Ryota Miyagi in THE FIRST SLAM DUNK), and Yasuhiro Mamiya, who plays Bob the Panther (known for roles such as Jacob Kowalski in the Fantastic Beasts film series).
Across a total of four installments, we will be sharing details on the game’s colorful cast of characters, its highly flexible and intricately designed gameplay systems, and the latest updates.
In this installment, we introduce the protagonists, their allies, characters belonging to the Sharp Tooth gang, as well as an overview of the game’s core systems and various status mechanics.
■Characters
●Thomas the Fox (VA: Shugo Nakamura)
A fox who once worked as a reporter for Woodpecker TV, and the main protagonist of the story.
Falsely accused of a crime and sent to prison, Thomas attempts a daring escape in order to gather evidence exposing the mayor’s corruption and clear his name. With just 21 days remaining, can Thomas save this city in time?
●Bob the Panther (VA: Yasuhiro Mamiya)
An undercover agent and the game’s second protagonist.
While infiltrating the prison on a top-secret mission to track down Fenrir, a gray wolf who holds the secrets of a criminal organization, Bob is also investigating the truth behind the death of a fellow agent.
After overcoming countless unavoidable battles, what truth will Bob ultimately uncover?
●Reed the Red Panda (VA: Riku Terahata)
A red panda who hates nothing more than being mistaken for a raccoon.
Thomas’s close friend since their university days, Reed became a lawyer after graduation out of a desire to “uphold justice” in this deeply unfair city, using his own abilities to fight back.
For Thomas, who must fight alone inside the prison, Reed is a dependable ally providing support from the outside.
●Selina the Cat (VA: Mao Minamisawa)
A cat who works as a secretary at Reed’s law firm.
Her striking beauty, mesmerizing Persian-cat eyes, and the mysterious aura she carries leave a deep impression on everyone she meets.
●Maggie the Ferret (VA: Yuka Nohana)
Thomas’s ex-girlfriend, six months after their breakup.
They began dating shortly after graduating from university, but Thomas was too busy to attend her band’s live shows and repeatedly postponed their plans. Over six years of dating, the days they actually spent together could be counted on one hand.
●Rocky the Shar Pei (VA: Kei Kurita)
A senior investigator with the Federal Investigation Bureau and Bob’s primary contact.
Though he constantly complains about wanting to retire, he is in reality a relentless workaholic who never takes time off—even when injured. This time as well, he continues serving as Bob’s contact while wearing an arm cast.
While supporting Bob from the outside, he works alongside him to uncover the truth behind Wesley’s death.
●Wesley the Cheetah (VA: Ikuho Matsunaga)
A cheetah who Bob considered his only true friend.
A fellow undercover agent with the Federal Investigation Bureau, Bob and Wesley shared the same role and could only return to their true selves for brief moments after closing time at Lou’s Bar. After Wesley’s death, Bob never set foot in Lou’s again.
●Angelo the Gray Wolf (VA: Shuhei Sakaguchi)
A gray wolf appointed by the current mayor as Chief Election Strategist.
Also known by his alias, “The Eraser,” he is a professional who “erases mistakes” on behalf of his employers. By ingratiating himself with those in power and leveraging their influence, he has extended his reach deep into both political and business circles.
●Rona the Leopard (VA: Kurumi Orihara)
A leopard known as the Midnight Queen of the underground club “Fallen Angel.”
An immigrant from the conflict-ridden land of Azlovia, she lacks legal status and ended up working as a dancer at the club.
【The Sharp Tooth Gang】
●Alex the Lion (VA: Shitan En)
A lion with a golden mane.
The boss of Sharp Tooth, whose influence reaches every corner of the prison. From loyal gang members to guards bribed with money, everyone operates under his command.
●Vladimir the Polar Bear (VA: Naruyuki Kinashi)
A massive polar bear.
A former professional wrestler who can’t let go of the ring, he performs under the persona “Iceberg,” a fearsome ice monster from the polar extremes. Despite his incredible strength, he is ironically vulnerable to heat.
●Crunchy the Crocodile (VA: Shimpei Harano)
A crocodile with a ferocious appearance and a quirky personality.
He looks down on others, mocking them as cowards while provoking fights. Whether you ignore his taunts or wait for the right moment to strike back is a choice worth considering.
●Henry the Black Bear
A seemingly gentle black bear constantly plagued by hunger.
With winter approaching, he is preparing for hibernation. To earn his “dream journey” to a solitary cell—the only place in the prison suitable for hibernation—it seems all he needs to do is knock out a prison guard.
●Vincent the Spotted Hyena (VA: Daisuke Nezu)
An outlaw spotted hyena who is always humming gangster rap.
Having taken the fall for his boss’s crimes, he believes that once he is released, he’ll be granted his own territory. His dream of becoming a true gangster appears to be close at hand.
●Hakuna the Warthog
A warthog who may be ugly but is brimming with confidence.
In the law-of-the-jungle world of prison, being born with a menacing face is an advantage, and anyone who doesn’t see that simply can’t appreciate true beauty. Among warthogs he is said to be a once-in-a-century heartthrob.
■Game System
【A High-Volume, Thrill-Packed Computer RPG】
The two selectable protagonists each feature a main story with over 20 hours of gameplay!
With 47 distinctive inmates, a rich cast of memorable side characters, over 100 meticulously designed quests, multiple completely different escape routes, and numerous branching endings, the game delivers a full-fledged RPG experience.
Spanning over one million characters of story text, this is a massive, content-rich adventure.
【A Virtual Experience with Deep Immersion】
Explore, infiltrate, and investigate while following prison rules, face a variety of challenges, and put your abilities to the test.
Will you live quietly as a model inmate, or sow chaos as a troublemaker?
The choice is entirely yours.
▼Stamina
Most actions in prison—such as working, training, or searching for items—consume Stamina.
When Stamina is depleted, you can no longer act, but it can be restored by resting on chairs, sleeping, or using items.
▼Focus
If you fail a challenge action that requires rolling dice, you can retry by spending Focus.
Focus is consumed when used, but can be restored over time or by using certain items.
▼Body
This value represents your current physical condition.
Sleeping without a blanket or consuming items with side effects will lower it. If Body falls below 30, you enter a Weak Body state, reducing Strength and Agility to half their normal values.
Body can be restored using items such as apples, yogurt, or painkillers, or by taking a warm shower.
▼Mind
This value represents your current psychological condition.
Failing challenge actions or experiencing nightmares during sleep will lower it. If it falls below 30, you enter a Weak Mind state, reducing Intelligence and Charisma to about half their usual effectiveness.
Mind can be restored using items such as iris flowers or alcohol, as well as by praying at a church, watching TV, or reading magazines.
▼Satiety
Satiety gradually decreases over time.
When it reaches zero, you enter a Hungry state. Prolonged hunger will continuously lower both Body and Mind states.
▼Meals
At lunchtime, inmates receive free bread rolls. By paying an additional fee, you can upgrade to more luxurious meals, each providing different effects. Available menus change daily.
Sitting next to other inmates allows you to beg for food or share your own.
Waffles served at dinner are free until 6:00 PM; for an extra fee, whipped cream can be added.
▼Money
Money is required to make phone calls, purchase items from vending machines or guards, upgrade lunch meals, or use facilities controlled by various gangs.
You can earn money through prison jobs, selling items, quest rewards, gambling, or even extortion.
▼Challenges
When attempting certain actions, you roll two dice. If their total meets or exceeds the Target Points, the challenge succeeds; otherwise, it fails.
Target Points are calculated by subtracting your Base Points (which are determined by relevant stats, skills, and items) from the action’s Difficulty, meaning higher Base Points increase your chance of success.
Even after failing a challenge, you can spend 1 Focus to reroll the dice once.
▼Mini Games
Jobs in the laundry room or kitchen to earn money, item searching, training, and thrilling prison escape challenges—these activities are unavoidable if you want a more comfortable life behind bars.
In the next update, we plan to introduce characters belonging to the Big Foot and Black Claw gangs, as well as gameplay systems related to interacting with other inmates—so stay tuned!
■Back to the Dawn Product Details
| Name | Back to the Dawn | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Genre | Prison Break Thriller RPG | ||
| Platform(s) | Nintendo Switch 2 Nintendo Switch | PlayStation 5 | |
| Release Date | March 5, 2026 (scheduled) | 2026 (scheduled) | |
| MSRP | 【Package Standard Edition】 $268 HKD / $1,100 NTD / 50,000 KRW 【Digital Standard Edition】 $268 HKD / $1,100 NTD / 50,000 KRW | ||
| Player(s) | 1 | ||
| Rating | IARC: 16+ | ||
| Languages | Audio | Japanese / Chinese | |
| Subtitles | English / Traditional Chinese / Simplified Chinese / Korean / Japanese | ||
| Developer | Metal Head Games / Spiral Up Games | ||
| Distributor | Clouded Leopard Entertainment Inc. | ||
| Copyright | ©2025 Metal Head Games. ©2025 Spiral Up Games. Licensed to and published by Clouded Leopard Entertainment Inc. | ||
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