Back to the Dawn
Spiral Up Games • Jul 18, 2025
PC
Xbox One
Xbox Series
46
Achievements
69,759
TH Points
2,000
Gamerscore
The Devil
"Nari... valenthra... mara...!"
45 0.18% 107 Points
How to unlock the The Devil achievement in Back to the Dawn - Definitive Guide
Housin 2203 
TrueAchievements
TrueAchievements
25 Jul 2025 06:14
I will be covering each Thomas escape method as I do them, and I will try to put in as much detail as possible for how to proceed with each step. I will not cover the main questline as you do not need to touch it in order to escape from prison.
These detailed guides will contain heavy spoilers so beware. For the sake of ease (and depending on your level of experience with the game) the spoiler tag is for a far more detailed walkthrough.
TLDR Walkthrough
1. Use then disassemble your toilet to access the Pipes, then the Sewers.
2. Power up the Sewers.
3. Build the Sewer Bridge
4. Head north, go to Staff Room but get stuck
5. Work in Staff Room, de-clutter and move Shelves
6. Return to Staff Room at night, go out window, back into sewer, drain sewer.
7. Wait until next night, go south and break into barbershop. Fight Boss.
8. Befriend the courier (feed goldfish or spicy Ramen)
9. Get oxygen.
10. Escape via mini-game.
These detailed guides will contain heavy spoilers so beware. For the sake of ease (and depending on your level of experience with the game) the spoiler tag is for a far more detailed walkthrough.
TLDR Walkthrough
1. Use then disassemble your toilet to access the Pipes, then the Sewers.
2. Power up the Sewers.
3. Build the Sewer Bridge
4. Head north, go to Staff Room but get stuck
5. Work in Staff Room, de-clutter and move Shelves
6. Return to Staff Room at night, go out window, back into sewer, drain sewer.
7. Wait until next night, go south and break into barbershop. Fight Boss.
8. Befriend the courier (feed goldfish or spicy Ramen)
9. Get oxygen.
10. Escape via mini-game.
Detailed Walkthrough
For starters be aware there are eight escape related achievements in total, and this game auto saves on a single slot, meaning you cannot escape, then reload and escape in a different manner during the same playthrough.
The other seven escape achievements are:
The The Moon achievement in Back to the Dawn worth 618 points"But the light up ahead is still there; I can't be hallucinating now..."
The The Magician achievement in Back to the Dawn worth 1382 points"Could it be that the urban legend isn't just a crazy story?"
The The Chariot achievement in Back to the Dawn worth 1128 points"As I said, I want to be the real winner in the end."
The Strength achievement in Back to the Dawn worth 1477 pointsThe power of my fists is only superficial. My strength comes from within... I'm not fighting alone.
The The Tower achievement in Back to the Dawn worth 948 points"Warning, a prisoner has escaped! I repeat, a prisoner has escaped!"
The The Star achievement in Back to the Dawn worth 853 points"I sure wish I could turn into a bird."
The The Sun achievement in Back to the Dawn worth 1044 points"Throw yourself into the darkness and disappear into the sunlight."
This escape route involves going through the basement of the barbershop. This is definitely a challenging one as there is a very hard boss fight towards the end of this route. I would recommend going for a different escape if this is your first playthrough.
1. Getting behind your cell.
a. Use the toilet in your cell.
b. Investigate the leak, then examine the toilet.
c. Disassemble the toilet – Can only be done after lockdown (22:00), and if Sam is asleep (he goes to bed at 22:40 but you can craft a sleep cookie and give it to him so he goes down earlier. Or you can pay Bruce 40 behaviour credits for a solo cell upstairs.)
i. This requires a disassembly tool. A coin (which you start with), wrench, crowbar or any kind of screwdriver. You can craft makeshift screwdrivers on the craft tables, either in your cell or elsewhere (definitely one in kitchen cellar and mailroom). This is a multi-check (builds up to a high number over time)
ii. Basic Screwdriver = 1 Screw, 1 Lumber, 2 Quick-Drying Glue
1. Screw – During recreation (after lunch) sit down on the bleachers north of the baskerball court. You can inspect them and realise you can unscrew them with your starting coin. This gets you a screw.
2. Lumber – During recreation, go down to the top left corner (where the outhouse is). Not the dumpster, but next to the toilet search and there’s usually 1 lumber in there.
3. Quick Drying Glue – There is 1 in one of the back cupboards of the general building (where the library is, but in the art section). Characters can carry it, but it is quite rare. As I type this I see the Zebra, Grey Boar (Babirusa) and Platypus all have some to trade.
d. Once done, you’ll need a dummy to place on your bed in order to fool the guards to your nocturnal absences.
i. Dummy – 1 Pillow, 1 Blanket, 2 Cloth
1. Pillow & Blanket – Bought by Billy the guard ($140 in total) next to the mail cart on the 1st floor lobby. Don’t know if the dummy must be covered by another pillow and blanket in bed to fool the guards. I’d recommend having a complete bed set anyway as there are penalties for sleeping without any of the three items (bed starts with a blanket).
2. Cloth – Very common item, but you can craft some using your bed blanket (this is not worth it value wise however).
e. IF YOU HAVE A SOLO CELL you also need to craft a rope otherwise you can’t get down to the first floor.
i. Rope – 8 Cloth.
2. Open the manhole on the right-hand side of the Pipe Room. This is a hard strength check, but can be made easier with a ‘club’ type weapon and rubber gloves. The more times you fail however, the easier it gets. It also becomes a lot easier if you apply some rust remover, but I never had to.
a. Rubber Gloves – In the infirmary consultation room (where Beth leaves you for 10 minutes) there are some in the cupboard against the left wall.
3. Turn on power to the sewers – In the gloom, to your right as you come down the ladder is a faintly visible door. Go inside, solve the moving block puzzle and turn on the electricity.
a. I hate these puzzles and could never figure them out. Best alternative is to read the book DIY Maestro and activate the skill of the same name. It is found on the bookshelf in the art section at the back of the general building. This allows you to completely skip these puzzles for some time, stamina and 1 focus (purple eye) cost. You do have to reach the breaker box, then the boxes in the back left before you can activate this though, so push the first block you encounter 1 up, then go to the right, and against the right wall is another. Pull it back one, then move to its left side and pull it back on again. The electrical box is on the back wall, but will fail to work, walk to the left from there and press A on one of the boxes and you’ll see the DIY Maestro option.
b. Do the little mini-game where you pull the generator cord, timing the A button presses.
4. Crossing the sewage river
a. Go to the right and see the area. Thomas will explain he can’t make the jump and it starts the quest ‘River Conqueror’.
b. Go to the left, ignore the door to the left of the ladder, and see an electrical switch. Activate it for an unskippable but fairly easy mini-game. Starting from the top going down, left going right:
i. Turn to the red connector
ii. Turn so it has a red and green connector
iii. Turn so it has a green and amber connector
iv. Turn so it has two amber connectors at the top, and a green at the bottom.
v. Complete the circuit.
c. Go across the sluice gate bridge to see a boarded up door. Read the journal on the workbench (which also acts as a crafting table), then proceed to pry the planks off the door. This is a strength based multi-check made easier with rubber gloves and a club-type weapon (and the Architect Perk, which is the meerkats rapport skill if you have it).
d. Next you have to hammer the planks together (if you haven’t started the ‘River Conqueror’ quest this option won’t appear). If you have a hammer this isn’t even a roll, but you can hammer them in with your fists at a greater time cost (it becomes a multi-check). Thomas will automatically place the bridge once constructed.
e. Go across and upwards, you’ll see a passage branching off, ignore this. There is a second passage we need later on. Just before this passage Thomas will comment on how the causeway has collapsed. Go up the passage. This will take you to the Staff Room, but there is a set of shelves blocking your path. (You cannot skip going there from the sewer first, as you won’t have the option to clear the shelves and move them if you go to the staff room first.)
5. Moving the shelves in the Staff Room
a. In order to even have the chance to enter the Staff Room you have to complete the first main quest ‘Price of Justice’ and enter Act 1 or it will not appear on Bruce’s job list. It says it costs 50 good conduct credits, but Bruce gives you a simple side quest ‘Job Competition’ instead which makes it free.
b. When at the Staff Block start mopping. Strength Multi-Check, wear rubber gloves. Each time you complete an area you can go into the back and clean the mop. You get 15 minutes free move in the back each time you do this.
c. First pull the drawers against the right wall towards you to create space (1 Min)
d. Moving the shelves starts as a very hard (difficulty 12) strength check. You can clear some shelves, which are agility based multi-checks (3 Mins per roll). Each cleared shelf makes the roll easier by 3. I’d clear as many as you need in order to have a 50%+ chance of moving the shelf. Stimulants and mushrooms both boost strength and are great to use here, but not necessary. Push the shelves once able to clear the grate.
6. Staff Room at Night
a. Follow the same passage as before. Once in go upstairs. There are two windows against the South Wall in the gym area. Interact with one and go outside, down the drainpipe.
b. Go to the left until you see an interaction marker. This gets you back into the sewers. Activate the sluice gate controls and it’ll start draining. This takes hours so got to wait until tomorrow now.
7. After the drainage
a. Once the sewer is drained, descend the ladders into the sewer bed. Travel right and then down, you go down a long passage towards the screen.
b. At the end is a ladder leading up to a damaged bit of wall. Interact with the wall then start knocking it down. Needs a digging tool, hammer is best if you still have it. A strength based multi-check improved by gloves and the ‘Architect’ skill.
c. HARD FIGHT AHEAD! Climb up the ladder, to appear inside the barbershop. You can mess about with anything in here, but I find it’s just easier to go and open the cupboard yourself. Out flies a huge bat whom you have to fight. This is difficult because he has a health drain move that also shields him for a turn.
d. After you win, he calms down and takes you to the fort ruins using the manhole cover in the basement of the barbershop (on the left). Here you meet Devil the shark. Escaping now becomes a matter of completing two final objective: Getting an oxygen tank, and getting Devil to like you.
8. The Devil you know
a. This objective takes a minimum of 3 days (nights) so focus on this first. You will need a rope to get down to the chamber where he resides (bat flew you down and back up the first time). Then you have to raise Devils bond to 150 (max) in order for him to swim you out. There are only two ways to do this:
i. Feed him. As far as I am aware there are only two things he likes. Spicy Ramen and Goldfish. If you are here before the goldfish becomes available from Bruce, just keep feeding him Ramen. Getting the goldfish out of the bowl is a challenging Agility check, but you can make it easier by teasing the fish with the multi-check. You can ask Bruce to refill your fish bowl for 20 good conduct credits so the goldfish is not a one time resource.
ii. Play with him. You can only do this once per night, and it is a multi-check based off of charisma.
9. You leave me breathless
a. In order to get the oxygen tank, you first need to get to the infirmary during the day. If you have a relationship with Beth the doctor at this point you can go for a ‘check-up’ every other day. If not, or you don’t want to wait, simply get a laxative and take it yourself, then talk to Bruce.
b. After seeing Beth in the consultation room (only if you gave yourself diarrhoea, otherwise before or after), check the door in the bottom left. This leads to the medicine store. There is a key for it in the operating room downstairs (accessible via the sewers see points c, d, e in this section). It can be picked, but only if you get the ‘Locksmith’ specialty in the agility section. It’s still a hard pick though at difficulty 16. I’d recommend chugging a soda if you have it. Once inside, interact with the large oxygen tank in the corner. Thomas will note it, but say it is way too big for purpose.
c. That night return to the sewer. Instead of going straight for the barber shop, head north to the other of the long passages (the one we ignored the first time). This next section has two paths. You want to go to the right.
d. Here you face another anti-theft difficulty 16 door. You can however climb over it across the pipes. This requires no roll, but a mini-game where you time your button presses. It’s not hard, but I failed the first time because I had no idea what to expect. Either way once across ascend the ladder.
e. You are now in an old operating room under the infirmary. Search against the back wall, behind the grate you came through, next to the water dispenser. You will find a small oxygen dispenser and mask (all 1 key item so no inventory taken). Pull the stretcher to the left to search the drawers to the left of the door and find the infirmary key if you don’t already have it.
f. Return to the infirmary, to the medicine store and use the large oxygen tank to fill your small one.
10. Finale
a. Once all that is done, it is time to return to devil one last time. If you haven’t completed all the main quests (gotten the apartment key off Iris) go back and finish those if you want. Otherwise ask him to take you out of the prison. This involves an easy mini-game where you have to swim through crumbling ruins. Blocks fall from above but if you look at the top of the screen you can often tell which ones as they are slightly discoloured.
For starters be aware there are eight escape related achievements in total, and this game auto saves on a single slot, meaning you cannot escape, then reload and escape in a different manner during the same playthrough.
The other seven escape achievements are:
The The Moon achievement in Back to the Dawn worth 618 points"But the light up ahead is still there; I can't be hallucinating now..." The The Magician achievement in Back to the Dawn worth 1382 points"Could it be that the urban legend isn't just a crazy story?" The The Chariot achievement in Back to the Dawn worth 1128 points"As I said, I want to be the real winner in the end." The Strength achievement in Back to the Dawn worth 1477 pointsThe power of my fists is only superficial. My strength comes from within... I'm not fighting alone. The The Tower achievement in Back to the Dawn worth 948 points"Warning, a prisoner has escaped! I repeat, a prisoner has escaped!" The The Star achievement in Back to the Dawn worth 853 points"I sure wish I could turn into a bird." The The Sun achievement in Back to the Dawn worth 1044 points"Throw yourself into the darkness and disappear into the sunlight." This escape route involves going through the basement of the barbershop. This is definitely a challenging one as there is a very hard boss fight towards the end of this route. I would recommend going for a different escape if this is your first playthrough.
1. Getting behind your cell.
a. Use the toilet in your cell.
b. Investigate the leak, then examine the toilet.
c. Disassemble the toilet – Can only be done after lockdown (22:00), and if Sam is asleep (he goes to bed at 22:40 but you can craft a sleep cookie and give it to him so he goes down earlier. Or you can pay Bruce 40 behaviour credits for a solo cell upstairs.)
i. This requires a disassembly tool. A coin (which you start with), wrench, crowbar or any kind of screwdriver. You can craft makeshift screwdrivers on the craft tables, either in your cell or elsewhere (definitely one in kitchen cellar and mailroom). This is a multi-check (builds up to a high number over time)
ii. Basic Screwdriver = 1 Screw, 1 Lumber, 2 Quick-Drying Glue
1. Screw – During recreation (after lunch) sit down on the bleachers north of the baskerball court. You can inspect them and realise you can unscrew them with your starting coin. This gets you a screw.
2. Lumber – During recreation, go down to the top left corner (where the outhouse is). Not the dumpster, but next to the toilet search and there’s usually 1 lumber in there.
3. Quick Drying Glue – There is 1 in one of the back cupboards of the general building (where the library is, but in the art section). Characters can carry it, but it is quite rare. As I type this I see the Zebra, Grey Boar (Babirusa) and Platypus all have some to trade.
d. Once done, you’ll need a dummy to place on your bed in order to fool the guards to your nocturnal absences.
i. Dummy – 1 Pillow, 1 Blanket, 2 Cloth
1. Pillow & Blanket – Bought by Billy the guard ($140 in total) next to the mail cart on the 1st floor lobby. Don’t know if the dummy must be covered by another pillow and blanket in bed to fool the guards. I’d recommend having a complete bed set anyway as there are penalties for sleeping without any of the three items (bed starts with a blanket).
2. Cloth – Very common item, but you can craft some using your bed blanket (this is not worth it value wise however).
e. IF YOU HAVE A SOLO CELL you also need to craft a rope otherwise you can’t get down to the first floor.
i. Rope – 8 Cloth.
2. Open the manhole on the right-hand side of the Pipe Room. This is a hard strength check, but can be made easier with a ‘club’ type weapon and rubber gloves. The more times you fail however, the easier it gets. It also becomes a lot easier if you apply some rust remover, but I never had to.
a. Rubber Gloves – In the infirmary consultation room (where Beth leaves you for 10 minutes) there are some in the cupboard against the left wall.
3. Turn on power to the sewers – In the gloom, to your right as you come down the ladder is a faintly visible door. Go inside, solve the moving block puzzle and turn on the electricity.
a. I hate these puzzles and could never figure them out. Best alternative is to read the book DIY Maestro and activate the skill of the same name. It is found on the bookshelf in the art section at the back of the general building. This allows you to completely skip these puzzles for some time, stamina and 1 focus (purple eye) cost. You do have to reach the breaker box, then the boxes in the back left before you can activate this though, so push the first block you encounter 1 up, then go to the right, and against the right wall is another. Pull it back one, then move to its left side and pull it back on again. The electrical box is on the back wall, but will fail to work, walk to the left from there and press A on one of the boxes and you’ll see the DIY Maestro option.
b. Do the little mini-game where you pull the generator cord, timing the A button presses.
4. Crossing the sewage river
a. Go to the right and see the area. Thomas will explain he can’t make the jump and it starts the quest ‘River Conqueror’.
b. Go to the left, ignore the door to the left of the ladder, and see an electrical switch. Activate it for an unskippable but fairly easy mini-game. Starting from the top going down, left going right:
i. Turn to the red connector
ii. Turn so it has a red and green connector
iii. Turn so it has a green and amber connector
iv. Turn so it has two amber connectors at the top, and a green at the bottom.
v. Complete the circuit.
c. Go across the sluice gate bridge to see a boarded up door. Read the journal on the workbench (which also acts as a crafting table), then proceed to pry the planks off the door. This is a strength based multi-check made easier with rubber gloves and a club-type weapon (and the Architect Perk, which is the meerkats rapport skill if you have it).
d. Next you have to hammer the planks together (if you haven’t started the ‘River Conqueror’ quest this option won’t appear). If you have a hammer this isn’t even a roll, but you can hammer them in with your fists at a greater time cost (it becomes a multi-check). Thomas will automatically place the bridge once constructed.
e. Go across and upwards, you’ll see a passage branching off, ignore this. There is a second passage we need later on. Just before this passage Thomas will comment on how the causeway has collapsed. Go up the passage. This will take you to the Staff Room, but there is a set of shelves blocking your path. (You cannot skip going there from the sewer first, as you won’t have the option to clear the shelves and move them if you go to the staff room first.)
5. Moving the shelves in the Staff Room
a. In order to even have the chance to enter the Staff Room you have to complete the first main quest ‘Price of Justice’ and enter Act 1 or it will not appear on Bruce’s job list. It says it costs 50 good conduct credits, but Bruce gives you a simple side quest ‘Job Competition’ instead which makes it free.
b. When at the Staff Block start mopping. Strength Multi-Check, wear rubber gloves. Each time you complete an area you can go into the back and clean the mop. You get 15 minutes free move in the back each time you do this.
c. First pull the drawers against the right wall towards you to create space (1 Min)
d. Moving the shelves starts as a very hard (difficulty 12) strength check. You can clear some shelves, which are agility based multi-checks (3 Mins per roll). Each cleared shelf makes the roll easier by 3. I’d clear as many as you need in order to have a 50%+ chance of moving the shelf. Stimulants and mushrooms both boost strength and are great to use here, but not necessary. Push the shelves once able to clear the grate.
6. Staff Room at Night
a. Follow the same passage as before. Once in go upstairs. There are two windows against the South Wall in the gym area. Interact with one and go outside, down the drainpipe.
b. Go to the left until you see an interaction marker. This gets you back into the sewers. Activate the sluice gate controls and it’ll start draining. This takes hours so got to wait until tomorrow now.
7. After the drainage
a. Once the sewer is drained, descend the ladders into the sewer bed. Travel right and then down, you go down a long passage towards the screen.
b. At the end is a ladder leading up to a damaged bit of wall. Interact with the wall then start knocking it down. Needs a digging tool, hammer is best if you still have it. A strength based multi-check improved by gloves and the ‘Architect’ skill.
c. HARD FIGHT AHEAD! Climb up the ladder, to appear inside the barbershop. You can mess about with anything in here, but I find it’s just easier to go and open the cupboard yourself. Out flies a huge bat whom you have to fight. This is difficult because he has a health drain move that also shields him for a turn.
d. After you win, he calms down and takes you to the fort ruins using the manhole cover in the basement of the barbershop (on the left). Here you meet Devil the shark. Escaping now becomes a matter of completing two final objective: Getting an oxygen tank, and getting Devil to like you.
8. The Devil you know
a. This objective takes a minimum of 3 days (nights) so focus on this first. You will need a rope to get down to the chamber where he resides (bat flew you down and back up the first time). Then you have to raise Devils bond to 150 (max) in order for him to swim you out. There are only two ways to do this:
i. Feed him. As far as I am aware there are only two things he likes. Spicy Ramen and Goldfish. If you are here before the goldfish becomes available from Bruce, just keep feeding him Ramen. Getting the goldfish out of the bowl is a challenging Agility check, but you can make it easier by teasing the fish with the multi-check. You can ask Bruce to refill your fish bowl for 20 good conduct credits so the goldfish is not a one time resource.
ii. Play with him. You can only do this once per night, and it is a multi-check based off of charisma.
9. You leave me breathless
a. In order to get the oxygen tank, you first need to get to the infirmary during the day. If you have a relationship with Beth the doctor at this point you can go for a ‘check-up’ every other day. If not, or you don’t want to wait, simply get a laxative and take it yourself, then talk to Bruce.
b. After seeing Beth in the consultation room (only if you gave yourself diarrhoea, otherwise before or after), check the door in the bottom left. This leads to the medicine store. There is a key for it in the operating room downstairs (accessible via the sewers see points c, d, e in this section). It can be picked, but only if you get the ‘Locksmith’ specialty in the agility section. It’s still a hard pick though at difficulty 16. I’d recommend chugging a soda if you have it. Once inside, interact with the large oxygen tank in the corner. Thomas will note it, but say it is way too big for purpose.
c. That night return to the sewer. Instead of going straight for the barber shop, head north to the other of the long passages (the one we ignored the first time). This next section has two paths. You want to go to the right.
d. Here you face another anti-theft difficulty 16 door. You can however climb over it across the pipes. This requires no roll, but a mini-game where you time your button presses. It’s not hard, but I failed the first time because I had no idea what to expect. Either way once across ascend the ladder.
e. You are now in an old operating room under the infirmary. Search against the back wall, behind the grate you came through, next to the water dispenser. You will find a small oxygen dispenser and mask (all 1 key item so no inventory taken). Pull the stretcher to the left to search the drawers to the left of the door and find the infirmary key if you don’t already have it.
f. Return to the infirmary, to the medicine store and use the large oxygen tank to fill your small one.
10. Finale
a. Once all that is done, it is time to return to devil one last time. If you haven’t completed all the main quests (gotten the apartment key off Iris) go back and finish those if you want. Otherwise ask him to take you out of the prison. This involves an easy mini-game where you have to swim through crumbling ruins. Blocks fall from above but if you look at the top of the screen you can often tell which ones as they are slightly discoloured.
1
0
25 Jul 2025 06:14
Housin 2203 TrueAchievements
TrueAchievements
25 Jul 2025 06:14
I will be covering each Thomas escape method as I do them, and I will try to put in as much detail as possible for how to proceed with each step. I will not cover the main questline as you do not need to touch it in order to escape from prison.
These detailed guides will contain heavy spoilers so beware. For the sake of ease (and depending on your level of experience with the game) the spoiler tag is for a far more detailed walkthrough.
TLDR Walkthrough
1. Use then disassemble your toilet to access the Pipes, then the Sewers.
2. Power up the Sewers.
3. Build the Sewer Bridge
4. Head north, go to Staff Room but get stuck
5. Work in Staff Room, de-clutter and move Shelves
6. Return to Staff Room at night, go out window, back into sewer, drain sewer.
7. Wait until next night, go south and break into barbershop. Fight Boss.
8. Befriend the courier (feed goldfish or spicy Ramen)
9. Get oxygen.
10. Escape via mini-game.
These detailed guides will contain heavy spoilers so beware. For the sake of ease (and depending on your level of experience with the game) the spoiler tag is for a far more detailed walkthrough.
TLDR Walkthrough
1. Use then disassemble your toilet to access the Pipes, then the Sewers.
2. Power up the Sewers.
3. Build the Sewer Bridge
4. Head north, go to Staff Room but get stuck
5. Work in Staff Room, de-clutter and move Shelves
6. Return to Staff Room at night, go out window, back into sewer, drain sewer.
7. Wait until next night, go south and break into barbershop. Fight Boss.
8. Befriend the courier (feed goldfish or spicy Ramen)
9. Get oxygen.
10. Escape via mini-game.
Detailed Walkthrough
For starters be aware there are eight escape related achievements in total, and this game auto saves on a single slot, meaning you cannot escape, then reload and escape in a different manner during the same playthrough.
The other seven escape achievements are:
The The Moon achievement in Back to the Dawn worth 541 points"But the light up ahead is still there; I can't be hallucinating now..."
The The Magician achievement in Back to the Dawn worth 1091 points"Could it be that the urban legend isn't just a crazy story?"
The The Chariot achievement in Back to the Dawn worth 845 points"As I said, I want to be the real winner in the end."
The Strength achievement in Back to the Dawn worth 1056 pointsThe power of my fists is only superficial. My strength comes from within... I'm not fighting alone.
The The Tower achievement in Back to the Dawn worth 714 points"Warning, a prisoner has escaped! I repeat, a prisoner has escaped!"
The The Star achievement in Back to the Dawn worth 630 points"I sure wish I could turn into a bird."
The The Sun achievement in Back to the Dawn worth 829 points"Throw yourself into the darkness and disappear into the sunlight."
This escape route involves going through the basement of the barbershop. This is definitely a challenging one as there is a very hard boss fight towards the end of this route. I would recommend going for a different escape if this is your first playthrough.
1. Getting behind your cell.
a. Use the toilet in your cell.
b. Investigate the leak, then examine the toilet.
c. Disassemble the toilet – Can only be done after lockdown (22:00), and if Sam is asleep (he goes to bed at 22:40 but you can craft a sleep cookie and give it to him so he goes down earlier. Or you can pay Bruce 40 behaviour credits for a solo cell upstairs.)
i. This requires a disassembly tool. A coin (which you start with), wrench, crowbar or any kind of screwdriver. You can craft makeshift screwdrivers on the craft tables, either in your cell or elsewhere (definitely one in kitchen cellar and mailroom). This is a multi-check (builds up to a high number over time)
ii. Basic Screwdriver = 1 Screw, 1 Lumber, 2 Quick-Drying Glue
1. Screw – During recreation (after lunch) sit down on the bleachers north of the baskerball court. You can inspect them and realise you can unscrew them with your starting coin. This gets you a screw.
2. Lumber – During recreation, go down to the top left corner (where the outhouse is). Not the dumpster, but next to the toilet search and there’s usually 1 lumber in there.
3. Quick Drying Glue – There is 1 in one of the back cupboards of the general building (where the library is, but in the art section). Characters can carry it, but it is quite rare. As I type this I see the Zebra, Grey Boar (Babirusa) and Platypus all have some to trade.
d. Once done, you’ll need a dummy to place on your bed in order to fool the guards to your nocturnal absences.
i. Dummy – 1 Pillow, 1 Blanket, 2 Cloth
1. Pillow & Blanket – Bought by Billy the guard ($140 in total) next to the mail cart on the 1st floor lobby. Don’t know if the dummy must be covered by another pillow and blanket in bed to fool the guards. I’d recommend having a complete bed set anyway as there are penalties for sleeping without any of the three items (bed starts with a blanket).
2. Cloth – Very common item, but you can craft some using your bed blanket (this is not worth it value wise however).
e. IF YOU HAVE A SOLO CELL you also need to craft a rope otherwise you can’t get down to the first floor.
i. Rope – 8 Cloth.
2. Open the manhole on the right-hand side of the Pipe Room. This is a hard strength check, but can be made easier with a ‘club’ type weapon and rubber gloves. The more times you fail however, the easier it gets. It also becomes a lot easier if you apply some rust remover, but I never had to.
a. Rubber Gloves – In the infirmary consultation room (where Beth leaves you for 10 minutes) there are some in the cupboard against the left wall.
3. Turn on power to the sewers – In the gloom, to your right as you come down the ladder is a faintly visible door. Go inside, solve the moving block puzzle and turn on the electricity.
a. I hate these puzzles and could never figure them out. Best alternative is to read the book DIY Maestro and activate the skill of the same name. It is found on the bookshelf in the art section at the back of the general building. This allows you to completely skip these puzzles for some time, stamina and 1 focus (purple eye) cost. You do have to reach the breaker box, then the boxes in the back left before you can activate this though, so push the first block you encounter 1 up, then go to the right, and against the right wall is another. Pull it back one, then move to its left side and pull it back on again. The electrical box is on the back wall, but will fail to work, walk to the left from there and press A on one of the boxes and you’ll see the DIY Maestro option.
b. Do the little mini-game where you pull the generator cord, timing the A button presses.
4. Crossing the sewage river
a. Go to the right and see the area. Thomas will explain he can’t make the jump and it starts the quest ‘River Conqueror’.
b. Go to the left, ignore the door to the left of the ladder, and see an electrical switch. Activate it for an unskippable but fairly easy mini-game. Starting from the top going down, left going right:
i. Turn to the red connector
ii. Turn so it has a red and green connector
iii. Turn so it has a green and amber connector
iv. Turn so it has two amber connectors at the top, and a green at the bottom.
v. Complete the circuit.
c. Go across the sluice gate bridge to see a boarded up door. Read the journal on the workbench (which also acts as a crafting table), then proceed to pry the planks off the door. This is a strength based multi-check made easier with rubber gloves and a club-type weapon (and the Architect Perk, which is the meerkats rapport skill if you have it).
d. Next you have to hammer the planks together (if you haven’t started the ‘River Conqueror’ quest this option won’t appear). If you have a hammer this isn’t even a roll, but you can hammer them in with your fists at a greater time cost (it becomes a multi-check). Thomas will automatically place the bridge once constructed.
e. Go across and upwards, you’ll see a passage branching off, ignore this. There is a second passage we need later on. Just before this passage Thomas will comment on how the causeway has collapsed. Go up the passage. This will take you to the Staff Room, but there is a set of shelves blocking your path. (You cannot skip going there from the sewer first, as you won’t have the option to clear the shelves and move them if you go to the staff room first.)
5. Moving the shelves in the Staff Room
a. In order to even have the chance to enter the Staff Room you have to complete the first main quest ‘Price of Justice’ and enter Act 1 or it will not appear on Bruce’s job list. It says it costs 50 good conduct credits, but Bruce gives you a simple side quest ‘Job Competition’ instead which makes it free.
b. When at the Staff Block start mopping. Strength Multi-Check, wear rubber gloves. Each time you complete an area you can go into the back and clean the mop. You get 15 minutes free move in the back each time you do this.
c. First pull the drawers against the right wall towards you to create space (1 Min)
d. Moving the shelves starts as a very hard (difficulty 12) strength check. You can clear some shelves, which are agility based multi-checks (3 Mins per roll). Each cleared shelf makes the roll easier by 3. I’d clear as many as you need in order to have a 50%+ chance of moving the shelf. Stimulants and mushrooms both boost strength and are great to use here, but not necessary. Push the shelves once able to clear the grate.
6. Staff Room at Night
a. Follow the same passage as before. Once in go upstairs. There are two windows against the South Wall in the gym area. Interact with one and go outside, down the drainpipe.
b. Go to the left until you see an interaction marker. This gets you back into the sewers. Activate the sluice gate controls and it’ll start draining. This takes hours so got to wait until tomorrow now.
7. After the drainage
a. Once the sewer is drained, descend the ladders into the sewer bed. Travel right and then down, you go down a long passage towards the screen.
b. At the end is a ladder leading up to a damaged bit of wall. Interact with the wall then start knocking it down. Needs a digging tool, hammer is best if you still have it. A strength based multi-check improved by gloves and the ‘Architect’ skill.
c. HARD FIGHT AHEAD! Climb up the ladder, to appear inside the barbershop. You can mess about with anything in here, but I find it’s just easier to go and open the cupboard yourself. Out flies a huge bat whom you have to fight. This is difficult because he has a health drain move that also shields him for a turn.
d. After you win, he calms down and takes you to the fort ruins using the manhole cover in the basement of the barbershop (on the left). Here you meet Devil the shark. Escaping now becomes a matter of completing two final objective: Getting an oxygen tank, and getting Devil to like you.
8. The Devil you know
a. This objective takes a minimum of 3 days (nights) so focus on this first. You will need a rope to get down to the chamber where he resides (bat flew you down and back up the first time). Then you have to raise Devils bond to 150 (max) in order for him to swim you out. There are only two ways to do this:
i. Feed him. As far as I am aware there are only two things he likes. Spicy Ramen and Goldfish. If you are here before the goldfish becomes available from Bruce, just keep feeding him Ramen. Getting the goldfish out of the bowl is a challenging Agility check, but you can make it easier by teasing the fish with the multi-check. You can ask Bruce to refill your fish bowl for 20 good conduct credits so the goldfish is not a one time resource.
ii. Play with him. You can only do this once per night, and it is a multi-check based off of charisma.
9. You leave me breathless
a. In order to get the oxygen tank, you first need to get to the infirmary during the day. If you have a relationship with Beth the doctor at this point you can go for a ‘check-up’ every other day. If not, or you don’t want to wait, simply get a laxative and take it yourself, then talk to Bruce.
b. After seeing Beth in the consultation room (only if you gave yourself diarrhoea, otherwise before or after), check the door in the bottom left. This leads to the medicine store. There is a key for it in the operating room downstairs (accessible via the sewers see points c, d, e in this section). It can be picked, but only if you get the ‘Locksmith’ specialty in the agility section. It’s still a hard pick though at difficulty 16. I’d recommend chugging a soda if you have it. Once inside, interact with the large oxygen tank in the corner. Thomas will note it, but say it is way too big for purpose.
c. That night return to the sewer. Instead of going straight for the barber shop, head north to the other of the long passages (the one we ignored the first time). This next section has two paths. You want to go to the right.
d. Here you face another anti-theft difficulty 16 door. You can however climb over it across the pipes. This requires no roll, but a mini-game where you time your button presses. It’s not hard, but I failed the first time because I had no idea what to expect. Either way once across ascend the ladder.
e. You are now in an old operating room under the infirmary. Search against the back wall, behind the grate you came through, next to the water dispenser. You will find a small oxygen dispenser and mask (all 1 key item so no inventory taken). Pull the stretcher to the left to search the drawers to the left of the door and find the infirmary key if you don’t already have it.
f. Return to the infirmary, to the medicine store and use the large oxygen tank to fill your small one.
10. Finale
a. Once all that is done, it is time to return to devil one last time. If you haven’t completed all the main quests (gotten the apartment key off Iris) go back and finish those if you want. Otherwise ask him to take you out of the prison. This involves an easy mini-game where you have to swim through crumbling ruins. Blocks fall from above but if you look at the top of the screen you can often tell which ones as they are slightly discoloured.
For starters be aware there are eight escape related achievements in total, and this game auto saves on a single slot, meaning you cannot escape, then reload and escape in a different manner during the same playthrough.
The other seven escape achievements are:
The The Moon achievement in Back to the Dawn worth 541 points"But the light up ahead is still there; I can't be hallucinating now..." The The Magician achievement in Back to the Dawn worth 1091 points"Could it be that the urban legend isn't just a crazy story?" The The Chariot achievement in Back to the Dawn worth 845 points"As I said, I want to be the real winner in the end." The Strength achievement in Back to the Dawn worth 1056 pointsThe power of my fists is only superficial. My strength comes from within... I'm not fighting alone. The The Tower achievement in Back to the Dawn worth 714 points"Warning, a prisoner has escaped! I repeat, a prisoner has escaped!" The The Star achievement in Back to the Dawn worth 630 points"I sure wish I could turn into a bird." The The Sun achievement in Back to the Dawn worth 829 points"Throw yourself into the darkness and disappear into the sunlight." This escape route involves going through the basement of the barbershop. This is definitely a challenging one as there is a very hard boss fight towards the end of this route. I would recommend going for a different escape if this is your first playthrough.
1. Getting behind your cell.
a. Use the toilet in your cell.
b. Investigate the leak, then examine the toilet.
c. Disassemble the toilet – Can only be done after lockdown (22:00), and if Sam is asleep (he goes to bed at 22:40 but you can craft a sleep cookie and give it to him so he goes down earlier. Or you can pay Bruce 40 behaviour credits for a solo cell upstairs.)
i. This requires a disassembly tool. A coin (which you start with), wrench, crowbar or any kind of screwdriver. You can craft makeshift screwdrivers on the craft tables, either in your cell or elsewhere (definitely one in kitchen cellar and mailroom). This is a multi-check (builds up to a high number over time)
ii. Basic Screwdriver = 1 Screw, 1 Lumber, 2 Quick-Drying Glue
1. Screw – During recreation (after lunch) sit down on the bleachers north of the baskerball court. You can inspect them and realise you can unscrew them with your starting coin. This gets you a screw.
2. Lumber – During recreation, go down to the top left corner (where the outhouse is). Not the dumpster, but next to the toilet search and there’s usually 1 lumber in there.
3. Quick Drying Glue – There is 1 in one of the back cupboards of the general building (where the library is, but in the art section). Characters can carry it, but it is quite rare. As I type this I see the Zebra, Grey Boar (Babirusa) and Platypus all have some to trade.
d. Once done, you’ll need a dummy to place on your bed in order to fool the guards to your nocturnal absences.
i. Dummy – 1 Pillow, 1 Blanket, 2 Cloth
1. Pillow & Blanket – Bought by Billy the guard ($140 in total) next to the mail cart on the 1st floor lobby. Don’t know if the dummy must be covered by another pillow and blanket in bed to fool the guards. I’d recommend having a complete bed set anyway as there are penalties for sleeping without any of the three items (bed starts with a blanket).
2. Cloth – Very common item, but you can craft some using your bed blanket (this is not worth it value wise however).
e. IF YOU HAVE A SOLO CELL you also need to craft a rope otherwise you can’t get down to the first floor.
i. Rope – 8 Cloth.
2. Open the manhole on the right-hand side of the Pipe Room. This is a hard strength check, but can be made easier with a ‘club’ type weapon and rubber gloves. The more times you fail however, the easier it gets. It also becomes a lot easier if you apply some rust remover, but I never had to.
a. Rubber Gloves – In the infirmary consultation room (where Beth leaves you for 10 minutes) there are some in the cupboard against the left wall.
3. Turn on power to the sewers – In the gloom, to your right as you come down the ladder is a faintly visible door. Go inside, solve the moving block puzzle and turn on the electricity.
a. I hate these puzzles and could never figure them out. Best alternative is to read the book DIY Maestro and activate the skill of the same name. It is found on the bookshelf in the art section at the back of the general building. This allows you to completely skip these puzzles for some time, stamina and 1 focus (purple eye) cost. You do have to reach the breaker box, then the boxes in the back left before you can activate this though, so push the first block you encounter 1 up, then go to the right, and against the right wall is another. Pull it back one, then move to its left side and pull it back on again. The electrical box is on the back wall, but will fail to work, walk to the left from there and press A on one of the boxes and you’ll see the DIY Maestro option.
b. Do the little mini-game where you pull the generator cord, timing the A button presses.
4. Crossing the sewage river
a. Go to the right and see the area. Thomas will explain he can’t make the jump and it starts the quest ‘River Conqueror’.
b. Go to the left, ignore the door to the left of the ladder, and see an electrical switch. Activate it for an unskippable but fairly easy mini-game. Starting from the top going down, left going right:
i. Turn to the red connector
ii. Turn so it has a red and green connector
iii. Turn so it has a green and amber connector
iv. Turn so it has two amber connectors at the top, and a green at the bottom.
v. Complete the circuit.
c. Go across the sluice gate bridge to see a boarded up door. Read the journal on the workbench (which also acts as a crafting table), then proceed to pry the planks off the door. This is a strength based multi-check made easier with rubber gloves and a club-type weapon (and the Architect Perk, which is the meerkats rapport skill if you have it).
d. Next you have to hammer the planks together (if you haven’t started the ‘River Conqueror’ quest this option won’t appear). If you have a hammer this isn’t even a roll, but you can hammer them in with your fists at a greater time cost (it becomes a multi-check). Thomas will automatically place the bridge once constructed.
e. Go across and upwards, you’ll see a passage branching off, ignore this. There is a second passage we need later on. Just before this passage Thomas will comment on how the causeway has collapsed. Go up the passage. This will take you to the Staff Room, but there is a set of shelves blocking your path. (You cannot skip going there from the sewer first, as you won’t have the option to clear the shelves and move them if you go to the staff room first.)
5. Moving the shelves in the Staff Room
a. In order to even have the chance to enter the Staff Room you have to complete the first main quest ‘Price of Justice’ and enter Act 1 or it will not appear on Bruce’s job list. It says it costs 50 good conduct credits, but Bruce gives you a simple side quest ‘Job Competition’ instead which makes it free.
b. When at the Staff Block start mopping. Strength Multi-Check, wear rubber gloves. Each time you complete an area you can go into the back and clean the mop. You get 15 minutes free move in the back each time you do this.
c. First pull the drawers against the right wall towards you to create space (1 Min)
d. Moving the shelves starts as a very hard (difficulty 12) strength check. You can clear some shelves, which are agility based multi-checks (3 Mins per roll). Each cleared shelf makes the roll easier by 3. I’d clear as many as you need in order to have a 50%+ chance of moving the shelf. Stimulants and mushrooms both boost strength and are great to use here, but not necessary. Push the shelves once able to clear the grate.
6. Staff Room at Night
a. Follow the same passage as before. Once in go upstairs. There are two windows against the South Wall in the gym area. Interact with one and go outside, down the drainpipe.
b. Go to the left until you see an interaction marker. This gets you back into the sewers. Activate the sluice gate controls and it’ll start draining. This takes hours so got to wait until tomorrow now.
7. After the drainage
a. Once the sewer is drained, descend the ladders into the sewer bed. Travel right and then down, you go down a long passage towards the screen.
b. At the end is a ladder leading up to a damaged bit of wall. Interact with the wall then start knocking it down. Needs a digging tool, hammer is best if you still have it. A strength based multi-check improved by gloves and the ‘Architect’ skill.
c. HARD FIGHT AHEAD! Climb up the ladder, to appear inside the barbershop. You can mess about with anything in here, but I find it’s just easier to go and open the cupboard yourself. Out flies a huge bat whom you have to fight. This is difficult because he has a health drain move that also shields him for a turn.
d. After you win, he calms down and takes you to the fort ruins using the manhole cover in the basement of the barbershop (on the left). Here you meet Devil the shark. Escaping now becomes a matter of completing two final objective: Getting an oxygen tank, and getting Devil to like you.
8. The Devil you know
a. This objective takes a minimum of 3 days (nights) so focus on this first. You will need a rope to get down to the chamber where he resides (bat flew you down and back up the first time). Then you have to raise Devils bond to 150 (max) in order for him to swim you out. There are only two ways to do this:
i. Feed him. As far as I am aware there are only two things he likes. Spicy Ramen and Goldfish. If you are here before the goldfish becomes available from Bruce, just keep feeding him Ramen. Getting the goldfish out of the bowl is a challenging Agility check, but you can make it easier by teasing the fish with the multi-check. You can ask Bruce to refill your fish bowl for 20 good conduct credits so the goldfish is not a one time resource.
ii. Play with him. You can only do this once per night, and it is a multi-check based off of charisma.
9. You leave me breathless
a. In order to get the oxygen tank, you first need to get to the infirmary during the day. If you have a relationship with Beth the doctor at this point you can go for a ‘check-up’ every other day. If not, or you don’t want to wait, simply get a laxative and take it yourself, then talk to Bruce.
b. After seeing Beth in the consultation room (only if you gave yourself diarrhoea, otherwise before or after), check the door in the bottom left. This leads to the medicine store. There is a key for it in the operating room downstairs (accessible via the sewers see points c, d, e in this section). It can be picked, but only if you get the ‘Locksmith’ specialty in the agility section. It’s still a hard pick though at difficulty 16. I’d recommend chugging a soda if you have it. Once inside, interact with the large oxygen tank in the corner. Thomas will note it, but say it is way too big for purpose.
c. That night return to the sewer. Instead of going straight for the barber shop, head north to the other of the long passages (the one we ignored the first time). This next section has two paths. You want to go to the right.
d. Here you face another anti-theft difficulty 16 door. You can however climb over it across the pipes. This requires no roll, but a mini-game where you time your button presses. It’s not hard, but I failed the first time because I had no idea what to expect. Either way once across ascend the ladder.
e. You are now in an old operating room under the infirmary. Search against the back wall, behind the grate you came through, next to the water dispenser. You will find a small oxygen dispenser and mask (all 1 key item so no inventory taken). Pull the stretcher to the left to search the drawers to the left of the door and find the infirmary key if you don’t already have it.
f. Return to the infirmary, to the medicine store and use the large oxygen tank to fill your small one.
10. Finale
a. Once all that is done, it is time to return to devil one last time. If you haven’t completed all the main quests (gotten the apartment key off Iris) go back and finish those if you want. Otherwise ask him to take you out of the prison. This involves an easy mini-game where you have to swim through crumbling ruins. Blocks fall from above but if you look at the top of the screen you can often tell which ones as they are slightly discoloured.
1
0
25 Jul 2025 06:14
Housin 2203 TrueAchievements
TrueAchievements
25 Jul 2025 06:14
I will be covering each Thomas escape method as I do them, and I will try to put in as much detail as possible for how to proceed with each step. I will not cover the main questline as you do not need to touch it in order to escape from prison.
These detailed guides will contain heavy spoilers so beware. For the sake of ease (and depending on your level of experience with the game) the spoiler tag is for a far more detailed walkthrough.
TLDR Walkthrough
1. Use then disassemble your toilet to access the Pipes, then the Sewers.
2. Power up the Sewers.
3. Build the Sewer Bridge
4. Head north, go to Staff Room but get stuck
5. Work in Staff Room, de-clutter and move Shelves
6. Return to Staff Room at night, go out window, back into sewer, drain sewer.
7. Wait until next night, go south and break into barbershop. Fight Boss.
8. Befriend the courier (feed goldfish or spicy Ramen)
9. Get oxygen.
10. Escape via mini-game.
These detailed guides will contain heavy spoilers so beware. For the sake of ease (and depending on your level of experience with the game) the spoiler tag is for a far more detailed walkthrough.
TLDR Walkthrough
1. Use then disassemble your toilet to access the Pipes, then the Sewers.
2. Power up the Sewers.
3. Build the Sewer Bridge
4. Head north, go to Staff Room but get stuck
5. Work in Staff Room, de-clutter and move Shelves
6. Return to Staff Room at night, go out window, back into sewer, drain sewer.
7. Wait until next night, go south and break into barbershop. Fight Boss.
8. Befriend the courier (feed goldfish or spicy Ramen)
9. Get oxygen.
10. Escape via mini-game.
Detailed Walkthrough
For starters be aware there are eight escape related achievements in total, and this game auto saves on a single slot, meaning you cannot escape, then reload and escape in a different manner during the same playthrough.
The other seven escape achievements are:
The The Moon achievement in Back to the Dawn worth 680 points"But the light up ahead is still there; I can't be hallucinating now..."
The The Magician achievement in Back to the Dawn worth 1547 points"Could it be that the urban legend isn't just a crazy story?"
The The Chariot achievement in Back to the Dawn worth 1142 points"As I said, I want to be the real winner in the end."
The Strength achievement in Back to the Dawn worth 1432 pointsThe power of my fists is only superficial. My strength comes from within... I'm not fighting alone.
The The Tower achievement in Back to the Dawn worth 1093 points"Warning, a prisoner has escaped! I repeat, a prisoner has escaped!"
The The Star achievement in Back to the Dawn worth 978 points"I sure wish I could turn into a bird."
The The Sun achievement in Back to the Dawn worth 1012 points"Throw yourself into the darkness and disappear into the sunlight."
This escape route involves going through the basement of the barbershop. This is definitely a challenging one as there is a very hard boss fight towards the end of this route. I would recommend going for a different escape if this is your first playthrough.
1. Getting behind your cell.
a. Use the toilet in your cell.
b. Investigate the leak, then examine the toilet.
c. Disassemble the toilet – Can only be done after lockdown (22:00), and if Sam is asleep (he goes to bed at 22:40 but you can craft a sleep cookie and give it to him so he goes down earlier. Or you can pay Bruce 40 behaviour credits for a solo cell upstairs.)
i. This requires a disassembly tool. A coin (which you start with), wrench, crowbar or any kind of screwdriver. You can craft makeshift screwdrivers on the craft tables, either in your cell or elsewhere (definitely one in kitchen cellar and mailroom). This is a multi-check (builds up to a high number over time)
ii. Basic Screwdriver = 1 Screw, 1 Lumber, 2 Quick-Drying Glue
1. Screw – During recreation (after lunch) sit down on the bleachers north of the baskerball court. You can inspect them and realise you can unscrew them with your starting coin. This gets you a screw.
2. Lumber – During recreation, go down to the top left corner (where the outhouse is). Not the dumpster, but next to the toilet search and there’s usually 1 lumber in there.
3. Quick Drying Glue – There is 1 in one of the back cupboards of the general building (where the library is, but in the art section). Characters can carry it, but it is quite rare. As I type this I see the Zebra, Grey Boar (Babirusa) and Platypus all have some to trade.
d. Once done, you’ll need a dummy to place on your bed in order to fool the guards to your nocturnal absences.
i. Dummy – 1 Pillow, 1 Blanket, 2 Cloth
1. Pillow & Blanket – Bought by Billy the guard ($140 in total) next to the mail cart on the 1st floor lobby. Don’t know if the dummy must be covered by another pillow and blanket in bed to fool the guards. I’d recommend having a complete bed set anyway as there are penalties for sleeping without any of the three items (bed starts with a blanket).
2. Cloth – Very common item, but you can craft some using your bed blanket (this is not worth it value wise however).
e. IF YOU HAVE A SOLO CELL you also need to craft a rope otherwise you can’t get down to the first floor.
i. Rope – 8 Cloth.
2. Open the manhole on the right-hand side of the Pipe Room. This is a hard strength check, but can be made easier with a ‘club’ type weapon and rubber gloves. The more times you fail however, the easier it gets. It also becomes a lot easier if you apply some rust remover, but I never had to.
a. Rubber Gloves – In the infirmary consultation room (where Beth leaves you for 10 minutes) there are some in the cupboard against the left wall.
3. Turn on power to the sewers – In the gloom, to your right as you come down the ladder is a faintly visible door. Go inside, solve the moving block puzzle and turn on the electricity.
a. I hate these puzzles and could never figure them out. Best alternative is to read the book DIY Maestro and activate the skill of the same name. It is found on the bookshelf in the art section at the back of the general building. This allows you to completely skip these puzzles for some time, stamina and 1 focus (purple eye) cost. You do have to reach the breaker box, then the boxes in the back left before you can activate this though, so push the first block you encounter 1 up, then go to the right, and against the right wall is another. Pull it back one, then move to its left side and pull it back on again. The electrical box is on the back wall, but will fail to work, walk to the left from there and press A on one of the boxes and you’ll see the DIY Maestro option.
b. Do the little mini-game where you pull the generator cord, timing the A button presses.
4. Crossing the sewage river
a. Go to the right and see the area. Thomas will explain he can’t make the jump and it starts the quest ‘River Conqueror’.
b. Go to the left, ignore the door to the left of the ladder, and see an electrical switch. Activate it for an unskippable but fairly easy mini-game. Starting from the top going down, left going right:
i. Turn to the red connector
ii. Turn so it has a red and green connector
iii. Turn so it has a green and amber connector
iv. Turn so it has two amber connectors at the top, and a green at the bottom.
v. Complete the circuit.
c. Go across the sluice gate bridge to see a boarded up door. Read the journal on the workbench (which also acts as a crafting table), then proceed to pry the planks off the door. This is a strength based multi-check made easier with rubber gloves and a club-type weapon (and the Architect Perk, which is the meerkats rapport skill if you have it).
d. Next you have to hammer the planks together (if you haven’t started the ‘River Conqueror’ quest this option won’t appear). If you have a hammer this isn’t even a roll, but you can hammer them in with your fists at a greater time cost (it becomes a multi-check). Thomas will automatically place the bridge once constructed.
e. Go across and upwards, you’ll see a passage branching off, ignore this. There is a second passage we need later on. Just before this passage Thomas will comment on how the causeway has collapsed. Go up the passage. This will take you to the Staff Room, but there is a set of shelves blocking your path. (You cannot skip going there from the sewer first, as you won’t have the option to clear the shelves and move them if you go to the staff room first.)
5. Moving the shelves in the Staff Room
a. In order to even have the chance to enter the Staff Room you have to complete the first main quest ‘Price of Justice’ and enter Act 1 or it will not appear on Bruce’s job list. It says it costs 50 good conduct credits, but Bruce gives you a simple side quest ‘Job Competition’ instead which makes it free.
b. When at the Staff Block start mopping. Strength Multi-Check, wear rubber gloves. Each time you complete an area you can go into the back and clean the mop. You get 15 minutes free move in the back each time you do this.
c. First pull the drawers against the right wall towards you to create space (1 Min)
d. Moving the shelves starts as a very hard (difficulty 12) strength check. You can clear some shelves, which are agility based multi-checks (3 Mins per roll). Each cleared shelf makes the roll easier by 3. I’d clear as many as you need in order to have a 50%+ chance of moving the shelf. Stimulants and mushrooms both boost strength and are great to use here, but not necessary. Push the shelves once able to clear the grate.
6. Staff Room at Night
a. Follow the same passage as before. Once in go upstairs. There are two windows against the South Wall in the gym area. Interact with one and go outside, down the drainpipe.
b. Go to the left until you see an interaction marker. This gets you back into the sewers. Activate the sluice gate controls and it’ll start draining. This takes hours so got to wait until tomorrow now.
7. After the drainage
a. Once the sewer is drained, descend the ladders into the sewer bed. Travel right and then down, you go down a long passage towards the screen.
b. At the end is a ladder leading up to a damaged bit of wall. Interact with the wall then start knocking it down. Needs a digging tool, hammer is best if you still have it. A strength based multi-check improved by gloves and the ‘Architect’ skill.
c. HARD FIGHT AHEAD! Climb up the ladder, to appear inside the barbershop. You can mess about with anything in here, but I find it’s just easier to go and open the cupboard yourself. Out flies a huge bat whom you have to fight. This is difficult because he has a health drain move that also shields him for a turn.
d. After you win, he calms down and takes you to the fort ruins using the manhole cover in the basement of the barbershop (on the left). Here you meet Devil the shark. Escaping now becomes a matter of completing two final objective: Getting an oxygen tank, and getting Devil to like you.
8. The Devil you know
a. This objective takes a minimum of 3 days (nights) so focus on this first. You will need a rope to get down to the chamber where he resides (bat flew you down and back up the first time). Then you have to raise Devils bond to 150 (max) in order for him to swim you out. There are only two ways to do this:
i. Feed him. As far as I am aware there are only two things he likes. Spicy Ramen and Goldfish. If you are here before the goldfish becomes available from Bruce, just keep feeding him Ramen. Getting the goldfish out of the bowl is a challenging Agility check, but you can make it easier by teasing the fish with the multi-check. You can ask Bruce to refill your fish bowl for 20 good conduct credits so the goldfish is not a one time resource.
ii. Play with him. You can only do this once per night, and it is a multi-check based off of charisma.
9. You leave me breathless
a. In order to get the oxygen tank, you first need to get to the infirmary during the day. If you have a relationship with Beth the doctor at this point you can go for a ‘check-up’ every other day. If not, or you don’t want to wait, simply get a laxative and take it yourself, then talk to Bruce.
b. After seeing Beth in the consultation room (only if you gave yourself diarrhoea, otherwise before or after), check the door in the bottom left. This leads to the medicine store. There is a key for it in the operating room downstairs (accessible via the sewers see points c, d, e in this section). It can be picked, but only if you get the ‘Locksmith’ specialty in the agility section. It’s still a hard pick though at difficulty 16. I’d recommend chugging a soda if you have it. Once inside, interact with the large oxygen tank in the corner. Thomas will note it, but say it is way too big for purpose.
c. That night return to the sewer. Instead of going straight for the barber shop, head north to the other of the long passages (the one we ignored the first time). This next section has two paths. You want to go to the right.
d. Here you face another anti-theft difficulty 16 door. You can however climb over it across the pipes. This requires no roll, but a mini-game where you time your button presses. It’s not hard, but I failed the first time because I had no idea what to expect. Either way once across ascend the ladder.
e. You are now in an old operating room under the infirmary. Search against the back wall, behind the grate you came through, next to the water dispenser. You will find a small oxygen dispenser and mask (all 1 key item so no inventory taken). Pull the stretcher to the left to search the drawers to the left of the door and find the infirmary key if you don’t already have it.
f. Return to the infirmary, to the medicine store and use the large oxygen tank to fill your small one.
10. Finale
a. Once all that is done, it is time to return to devil one last time. If you haven’t completed all the main quests (gotten the apartment key off Iris) go back and finish those if you want. Otherwise ask him to take you out of the prison. This involves an easy mini-game where you have to swim through crumbling ruins. Blocks fall from above but if you look at the top of the screen you can often tell which ones as they are slightly discoloured.
For starters be aware there are eight escape related achievements in total, and this game auto saves on a single slot, meaning you cannot escape, then reload and escape in a different manner during the same playthrough.
The other seven escape achievements are:
The The Moon achievement in Back to the Dawn worth 680 points"But the light up ahead is still there; I can't be hallucinating now..." The The Magician achievement in Back to the Dawn worth 1547 points"Could it be that the urban legend isn't just a crazy story?" The The Chariot achievement in Back to the Dawn worth 1142 points"As I said, I want to be the real winner in the end." The Strength achievement in Back to the Dawn worth 1432 pointsThe power of my fists is only superficial. My strength comes from within... I'm not fighting alone. The The Tower achievement in Back to the Dawn worth 1093 points"Warning, a prisoner has escaped! I repeat, a prisoner has escaped!" The The Star achievement in Back to the Dawn worth 978 points"I sure wish I could turn into a bird." The The Sun achievement in Back to the Dawn worth 1012 points"Throw yourself into the darkness and disappear into the sunlight." This escape route involves going through the basement of the barbershop. This is definitely a challenging one as there is a very hard boss fight towards the end of this route. I would recommend going for a different escape if this is your first playthrough.
1. Getting behind your cell.
a. Use the toilet in your cell.
b. Investigate the leak, then examine the toilet.
c. Disassemble the toilet – Can only be done after lockdown (22:00), and if Sam is asleep (he goes to bed at 22:40 but you can craft a sleep cookie and give it to him so he goes down earlier. Or you can pay Bruce 40 behaviour credits for a solo cell upstairs.)
i. This requires a disassembly tool. A coin (which you start with), wrench, crowbar or any kind of screwdriver. You can craft makeshift screwdrivers on the craft tables, either in your cell or elsewhere (definitely one in kitchen cellar and mailroom). This is a multi-check (builds up to a high number over time)
ii. Basic Screwdriver = 1 Screw, 1 Lumber, 2 Quick-Drying Glue
1. Screw – During recreation (after lunch) sit down on the bleachers north of the baskerball court. You can inspect them and realise you can unscrew them with your starting coin. This gets you a screw.
2. Lumber – During recreation, go down to the top left corner (where the outhouse is). Not the dumpster, but next to the toilet search and there’s usually 1 lumber in there.
3. Quick Drying Glue – There is 1 in one of the back cupboards of the general building (where the library is, but in the art section). Characters can carry it, but it is quite rare. As I type this I see the Zebra, Grey Boar (Babirusa) and Platypus all have some to trade.
d. Once done, you’ll need a dummy to place on your bed in order to fool the guards to your nocturnal absences.
i. Dummy – 1 Pillow, 1 Blanket, 2 Cloth
1. Pillow & Blanket – Bought by Billy the guard ($140 in total) next to the mail cart on the 1st floor lobby. Don’t know if the dummy must be covered by another pillow and blanket in bed to fool the guards. I’d recommend having a complete bed set anyway as there are penalties for sleeping without any of the three items (bed starts with a blanket).
2. Cloth – Very common item, but you can craft some using your bed blanket (this is not worth it value wise however).
e. IF YOU HAVE A SOLO CELL you also need to craft a rope otherwise you can’t get down to the first floor.
i. Rope – 8 Cloth.
2. Open the manhole on the right-hand side of the Pipe Room. This is a hard strength check, but can be made easier with a ‘club’ type weapon and rubber gloves. The more times you fail however, the easier it gets. It also becomes a lot easier if you apply some rust remover, but I never had to.
a. Rubber Gloves – In the infirmary consultation room (where Beth leaves you for 10 minutes) there are some in the cupboard against the left wall.
3. Turn on power to the sewers – In the gloom, to your right as you come down the ladder is a faintly visible door. Go inside, solve the moving block puzzle and turn on the electricity.
a. I hate these puzzles and could never figure them out. Best alternative is to read the book DIY Maestro and activate the skill of the same name. It is found on the bookshelf in the art section at the back of the general building. This allows you to completely skip these puzzles for some time, stamina and 1 focus (purple eye) cost. You do have to reach the breaker box, then the boxes in the back left before you can activate this though, so push the first block you encounter 1 up, then go to the right, and against the right wall is another. Pull it back one, then move to its left side and pull it back on again. The electrical box is on the back wall, but will fail to work, walk to the left from there and press A on one of the boxes and you’ll see the DIY Maestro option.
b. Do the little mini-game where you pull the generator cord, timing the A button presses.
4. Crossing the sewage river
a. Go to the right and see the area. Thomas will explain he can’t make the jump and it starts the quest ‘River Conqueror’.
b. Go to the left, ignore the door to the left of the ladder, and see an electrical switch. Activate it for an unskippable but fairly easy mini-game. Starting from the top going down, left going right:
i. Turn to the red connector
ii. Turn so it has a red and green connector
iii. Turn so it has a green and amber connector
iv. Turn so it has two amber connectors at the top, and a green at the bottom.
v. Complete the circuit.
c. Go across the sluice gate bridge to see a boarded up door. Read the journal on the workbench (which also acts as a crafting table), then proceed to pry the planks off the door. This is a strength based multi-check made easier with rubber gloves and a club-type weapon (and the Architect Perk, which is the meerkats rapport skill if you have it).
d. Next you have to hammer the planks together (if you haven’t started the ‘River Conqueror’ quest this option won’t appear). If you have a hammer this isn’t even a roll, but you can hammer them in with your fists at a greater time cost (it becomes a multi-check). Thomas will automatically place the bridge once constructed.
e. Go across and upwards, you’ll see a passage branching off, ignore this. There is a second passage we need later on. Just before this passage Thomas will comment on how the causeway has collapsed. Go up the passage. This will take you to the Staff Room, but there is a set of shelves blocking your path. (You cannot skip going there from the sewer first, as you won’t have the option to clear the shelves and move them if you go to the staff room first.)
5. Moving the shelves in the Staff Room
a. In order to even have the chance to enter the Staff Room you have to complete the first main quest ‘Price of Justice’ and enter Act 1 or it will not appear on Bruce’s job list. It says it costs 50 good conduct credits, but Bruce gives you a simple side quest ‘Job Competition’ instead which makes it free.
b. When at the Staff Block start mopping. Strength Multi-Check, wear rubber gloves. Each time you complete an area you can go into the back and clean the mop. You get 15 minutes free move in the back each time you do this.
c. First pull the drawers against the right wall towards you to create space (1 Min)
d. Moving the shelves starts as a very hard (difficulty 12) strength check. You can clear some shelves, which are agility based multi-checks (3 Mins per roll). Each cleared shelf makes the roll easier by 3. I’d clear as many as you need in order to have a 50%+ chance of moving the shelf. Stimulants and mushrooms both boost strength and are great to use here, but not necessary. Push the shelves once able to clear the grate.
6. Staff Room at Night
a. Follow the same passage as before. Once in go upstairs. There are two windows against the South Wall in the gym area. Interact with one and go outside, down the drainpipe.
b. Go to the left until you see an interaction marker. This gets you back into the sewers. Activate the sluice gate controls and it’ll start draining. This takes hours so got to wait until tomorrow now.
7. After the drainage
a. Once the sewer is drained, descend the ladders into the sewer bed. Travel right and then down, you go down a long passage towards the screen.
b. At the end is a ladder leading up to a damaged bit of wall. Interact with the wall then start knocking it down. Needs a digging tool, hammer is best if you still have it. A strength based multi-check improved by gloves and the ‘Architect’ skill.
c. HARD FIGHT AHEAD! Climb up the ladder, to appear inside the barbershop. You can mess about with anything in here, but I find it’s just easier to go and open the cupboard yourself. Out flies a huge bat whom you have to fight. This is difficult because he has a health drain move that also shields him for a turn.
d. After you win, he calms down and takes you to the fort ruins using the manhole cover in the basement of the barbershop (on the left). Here you meet Devil the shark. Escaping now becomes a matter of completing two final objective: Getting an oxygen tank, and getting Devil to like you.
8. The Devil you know
a. This objective takes a minimum of 3 days (nights) so focus on this first. You will need a rope to get down to the chamber where he resides (bat flew you down and back up the first time). Then you have to raise Devils bond to 150 (max) in order for him to swim you out. There are only two ways to do this:
i. Feed him. As far as I am aware there are only two things he likes. Spicy Ramen and Goldfish. If you are here before the goldfish becomes available from Bruce, just keep feeding him Ramen. Getting the goldfish out of the bowl is a challenging Agility check, but you can make it easier by teasing the fish with the multi-check. You can ask Bruce to refill your fish bowl for 20 good conduct credits so the goldfish is not a one time resource.
ii. Play with him. You can only do this once per night, and it is a multi-check based off of charisma.
9. You leave me breathless
a. In order to get the oxygen tank, you first need to get to the infirmary during the day. If you have a relationship with Beth the doctor at this point you can go for a ‘check-up’ every other day. If not, or you don’t want to wait, simply get a laxative and take it yourself, then talk to Bruce.
b. After seeing Beth in the consultation room (only if you gave yourself diarrhoea, otherwise before or after), check the door in the bottom left. This leads to the medicine store. There is a key for it in the operating room downstairs (accessible via the sewers see points c, d, e in this section). It can be picked, but only if you get the ‘Locksmith’ specialty in the agility section. It’s still a hard pick though at difficulty 16. I’d recommend chugging a soda if you have it. Once inside, interact with the large oxygen tank in the corner. Thomas will note it, but say it is way too big for purpose.
c. That night return to the sewer. Instead of going straight for the barber shop, head north to the other of the long passages (the one we ignored the first time). This next section has two paths. You want to go to the right.
d. Here you face another anti-theft difficulty 16 door. You can however climb over it across the pipes. This requires no roll, but a mini-game where you time your button presses. It’s not hard, but I failed the first time because I had no idea what to expect. Either way once across ascend the ladder.
e. You are now in an old operating room under the infirmary. Search against the back wall, behind the grate you came through, next to the water dispenser. You will find a small oxygen dispenser and mask (all 1 key item so no inventory taken). Pull the stretcher to the left to search the drawers to the left of the door and find the infirmary key if you don’t already have it.
f. Return to the infirmary, to the medicine store and use the large oxygen tank to fill your small one.
10. Finale
a. Once all that is done, it is time to return to devil one last time. If you haven’t completed all the main quests (gotten the apartment key off Iris) go back and finish those if you want. Otherwise ask him to take you out of the prison. This involves an easy mini-game where you have to swim through crumbling ruins. Blocks fall from above but if you look at the top of the screen you can often tell which ones as they are slightly discoloured.
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25 Jul 2025 06:14
