PlayStation drops free taster for '10/10' RPG, no strings attached

You can claim a free taster of an acclaimed 10/10 RPG right now on PlayStation 5, and you don’t even need PS Plus.

Subscription services such as PlayStation Plus and Xbox Game Pass are viable tactics to reduce costs on our beloved hobby of playing video games, because a monthly cost to either is much cheaper than a newly released AAA game. On top of that, each service can offer hundreds of games to play at an instant.

However, sometimes it’s nice to check out a game without having to subscribe to a service. For example, the most expensive tier of PlayStation Plus offers trials. Thankfully, you don’t need to subscribe to anything to sample this 10/10 RPG. All you need is a console and an internet connection to download it today.

The game in question is Back to the Dawn, which had already been released on PC, Xbox and Nintendo Switch, but now its demo is available to download on PlayStation 5.

Prison Break fans will love Back to the Dawn

Back to the Dawn is an award-winning indie, simulation and strategy RPG that is inspired by the likes of Prison Break, The Shawshank Redemption, as well as The Escapists and Prison Architect.

“Back to the Dawn is a story-rich RPG set in a high-security prison ruled by factions and buried secrets,” reads the synopsis of the title developed by Metal Head Games. “Investigate two conspiracies from the inside, gather evidence, and outsmart a system designed to silence you. Make friends (or foes) with fellow inmates and with their help, break out of prison.”

READ MORE: Cyberpunk 2077 meets Disco Elysium in stunning Steam RPG taster available now

Back to the Dawn is highly-rated by the community

At the time of writing, Back to the Dawn is rated as “Overwhelmingly Positive” on Steam, taken from over 1,250 user reviews.

“One of the best RPGs I have ever played. True, choices matter, and it has rich storytelling, in-depth characters, twists and turns at every corner. High replayability. I give the game 10/10,” wrote DualStix.

“I don’t know how to begin this review when everything in the game is perfect,” exclaimed Kate27, rating the game 10/10.

“One of my favourite RPGs I've ever played,” announced Mayu Zane.

“This game helped fill The Escapists' void in my heart. Feels like Disco Elysium combined with The Escapists. Wonderful stuff,” said Quanifer.

“The writers have really outdone themselves in this. Everything from the storytelling, the characters, and the dialogue is perfect,” explained Onesy.

Furthermore, on the aggregate website Metacritic, Back to the Dawn has scored a pretty much even 81 from critics and 8.0 from users.

We reviewed Back to the Dawn!

“Back to the Dawn’s strongest writing comes in making you care about these characters, and you end up becoming incredibly invested in their stories,” said GAMINGbible’s Olly, in his review.

It’s worth mentioning that the full version of Back to the Dawn isn't out on PlayStation 5 just yet; that time arrives on October 22, 2026. So you can get a very early taste of this game today, long before you consider buying it.