Coming to Nintendo Switch 2 / Nintendo Switch
Back to the Dawn
BTTD Express Vol.3: More Characters & Gameplay Details
The game’s colorful cast & growth system are the key to your escape!
One of Clouded Leopard Entertainment’s standout titles for 2026, the suspense-driven prison break RPG Back to the Dawn, launches on Thursday, March 5.
And now for BTTD Express: a four-part series delivering a sneak peek at the game’s unique characters, its highly flexible gameplay system, as well as the latest information. In this third installment, we introduce a lineup of exceptionally unique inmates who do not belong to any gang, along with the growth systems that hold the key to escaping from prison.
■Characters
●Jimmy the Giraffe (VA: Sohei Horikane)
A former software engineer who seems to enjoy women and gambling. He carries the confident aura typical of a tech-industry elite.
●Sam the Donkey (VA: Koki Oshiro)
Just an ordinary, unremarkable donkey.
Apparently, his cute fiancée Nicole is waiting for him at home. Their wedding date is already set, and he plans to keep a low profile for the next two months to ensure his parole application goes through.
●Rudolf the Reindeer (VA: Takeshi Araki)
A reindeer with massive antlers and a powerful physique.
He once played the hero known as “the Comet” in the popular film Neighborhood Avenger, but while the character became hugely popular, few people recognize him as the actor behind the mask—something he finds frustrating.
●Joseph the Kangaroo
A kangaroo with a solid, muscular build.
He constantly lectures others on prison survival in an attempt to recruit them into his boxing class. While his skills as a former boxer may be genuine, his eye-popping prices make it doubtful anyone will actually sign up.
●John the Tiger
A taciturn, unfriendly tiger who gives off an intimidating presence.
Rumor has it his true combat ability is terrifying—so much so that even the three major gangs avoid crossing him. His only hobby is quietly smoking alone during outdoor exercise time.
●Lee San the Panda
A middle-aged panda whose real name is Lee Zhong.
Despite having spent ten years in prison, he always hums old poems with a carefree expression. He loves alcohol above all else and seems to have a way of obtaining good liquor even behind bars.
●Ray the Horse
A bay horse who calls himself a unicorn.
His appearance is a bit eccentric, and he holds unusual views on gender and identity. He dislikes being called “big bro” and makes no effort to hide his fondness for handsome men.
●Wilbur the Goat
A goat obsessed with the occult.
He constantly mutters cryptic, disconnected phrases, which seem to be related to some suspicious ritual.
●Miguel the Tapir
A tapir with an unusual nose.
He’s a troublesome guy who tries to hypnotize people without warning. The hypnosis didn’t work for some reason, but it’s probably best to keep your distance from him.
●Chris the Lynx
A handsome lynx.
Unlike the other predators, he exudes an elegant air. He proposes that the two of you form a charming duo, seducing staff and inmates alike to establish your position within the prison.
●Pickman the Iguana
A fearsome-looking subspecies of iguana.
Before entering prison, he was a somewhat famous painter. He invited you to be the model for his next piece—but the concept he described involved a gruesome death scene.
●Bernard the Capybara
A highly cautious capybara.
Before prison, he was a detective who arrested countless scumbags. However, he refuses to speak about why a former detective like himself ended up behind bars.
●William the Tortoise (VA: Kyotaro Muramoto)
A tortoise with a massive shell.
He has a friendly personality, but he speaks extremely slowly and has a habit of pausing for breath at odd moments, making conversations with him mentally exhausting.
●Tim the Sloth
A perpetually drowsy sloth.
He has the strange ability to suddenly fall asleep mid-conversation. Slow-moving and always absentminded, he seems to be hiding a secret he can’t tell anyone.
■Game System
【Highly Flexible Growth System】
Will you become a brawler who lets your fists do the talking, a thief who strikes from the shadows, or someone who masters persuasion or hacking skills?
Sharpen your skills, craft tools, and gear up—here, everything is up to you.
Rise from an unknown newcomer to someone who holds their own destiny in their hands.
▼Stats
There are four core stats: Strength, Agility, Intelligence, and Rapport.
Each is required for different actions and situations, including combat, exploration, and negotiation.
Stats can be increased by learning skills or equipping items, and can also be temporarily boosted through food, medicine, and other consumables.
▼Traits
Each stat has 10 Traits.
To unlock them, you must accumulate experience for the corresponding stat.
Since the required experience increases with each unlock, you’ll need to decide which traits to prioritize based on your playstyle.
▼Skills
Skills can be learned by completing certain actions or conditions, or through activities such as reading in the library, playing games, or watching movies.
Unlocking skills requires Skill Points, which are obtained by spending experience from the corresponding stat. Unlocking skills grants new abilities and improves efficiency in combat and work. Build a skill set tailored to your playstyle and aim for your ideal “escape strategy.”
▼Reputation
Reputation can be increased by winning the underground boxing matches hosted by the Big Foot gang or by completing barbershop quests.
Raising your Reputation allows you to befriend gang bosses, unlocking exclusive quests, new skills, and many more opportunities.
▼Good Conduct Credits
These can be earned by completing prison jobs.
Additionally, if you build a good relationship with Guard Captain Bruce, you may be able to earn credits through special means. Accumulated credits can be used to apply for new jobs or request improvements to your cell facilities.
In the next update, we’ll introduce the prison staff—each with their own quirks—as well as key facilities within the prison that hold clues to various escape routes. Stay tuned!
A demo is also now available on the Nintendo eShop, along with pre-orders for the full game.
Save data created in the demo can be carried over to the full version, so dive in early and experience the thrilling and unforgiving life behind bars.
▼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
■About Back to the Dawn
Back to the Dawn is a prison break thriller RPG developed by Shanghai-based indie studio Metal Head Games that received critical acclaim worldwide, winning numerous game awards. On Steam®, the title boasts a coveted “Very Positive” rating (95% positive).
Building on this success, CLE will bring Back to the Dawn to Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo Switch, and PlayStation 5 with enhanced localization across all subtitle languages, as well as the addition of brand-new Japanese and Chinese voice acting. Among the two protagonists, Thomas the Fox will be voiced in Japanese by Shugo Nakamura, known for roles such as Ryota Miyagi in THE FIRST SLAM DUNK. Bob the Panther will be voiced by Yasuhiro Mamiya, whose credits include Jacob Kowalski in the Fantastic Beasts series.
■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】 $34.99 USD / €34.99 EUR 【Digital Standard Edition】 $34.99 USD / €34.99 EUR | ||
| 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. | ||
※Nintendo Switch is a trademark of Nintendo.
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※All other company and product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners.
※All information is applicable as of the date of this announcement and subject to change without notice.