We had everything lined up perfectly—or so we thought. Every move, every detail of our futuristic bank heist seemed airtight. Leading up to the big day, my team and I were all over the preliminary work. We scoped out the techno-fortress, gathered the gear to hit our escape points, and set up a bunch of killer drones under the façade of a routine drop-off. Days of careful plotting promised a seamless operation… until the inevitable twist of fate.
Like in any classic caper, the twist was greed. We’d already nabbed our main score: data lodged in the cerebral vault of a tycoon CEO, snoozing away in a high-tech pod. Our hack completed, the plans were ours, and we were prepped for the getaway. But then, one of our crew—surprise, surprise, someone from the 10 Chambers team—suggested, “Why not empty the other vaults while we’re here?”
Our escape plan was flawless, ready to launch us off the top floor of this towering skyscraper. Grabbing some extra cash seemed like a no-brainer, right? But as we perched on the mezzanine, a wave of security bots and hired shooters cascaded in—guns blazing and shields held high. One of our guys got pinned down in the lobby. A 10 Chambers staffer on the right flank was blindsided by a grenade. Holding the back, I was ready to bail out, but got tagged by a marksman across the hall. Just like that, the heist was history.
This is why I dig this game. The potential for everything to go sideways is its greatest allure. “I’ve never seen such a rapid response from enemies,” one developer commented post-mission. “Shows anything’s possible!” That unpredictable chaos is what sets Den of Wolves apart from peers like Payday and Payday 2, where you usually just dive in without much prep—some stealthing to the vault, others charging in, or simply twirling around cluelessly.
Den of Wolves demands preparation. It calls for strategy. It reminds me of Ocean’s 11, where everyone knows their role—someone pulling a George Clooney, orchestrating the plan; another channeling Brad Pitt, too cool to be excited; and someone else trying to prove themselves, a risky Matt Damon type perhaps.
Simon Viklund, co-founder and narrative lead at 10 Chambers, shares his thoughts, “It’s more Heat-like, I think.” We exchange stories about the mission. “In Heat, the crew prepares meticulously—getting explosives, hijacking an ambulance. You see their groundwork in action.” This is Den of Wolves’ ethos: you’re handling pre-missions to arm yourselves, ensuring a clean getaway, and stacking the odds in your favor.
Take our scenario, for example. Before our heist, we had a prep mission—a swift 10-minute endeavor—to infiltrate a fortress and “borrow” an assault drone. This tool spearheaded our entry, neutralizing internal threats and paving the way forward. With firepower from within, we breached the vault, ready to loot.
“It’s grittier than Ocean’s capers,” laughs Viklund. “And it lets players choose their playstyle. A mission might have you saying, ‘I’ll go stealth/sniper/assault build’, depending on how you prepared.” That versatility might explain why I faltered. I’m a sharpshooter—I love a good battle rifle or DMR. Had I known of the impending wave of enemies, maybe an SMG or some incendiary tools would’ve served better. One more lesson, I suppose.
Den of Wolves enriches the Payday formula, something the 10 Chambers team excels at, given they’ve helmed both Payday titles. There’s an edge, a sense of deliberate risk, coupled with room for mishaps. It captures the job’s inherent tension, a nuance likely learned from their experience with a brutal co-op shooter like GTFO. Yet it remains accessible, the only wrench in our heist plan being our own avarice.
The game’s cyberpunk backdrop adds a flavor of its own, enhancing the adrenaline and the tactile combat. When you fire a DMR, you feel its power. The hand cannon feels just right—transforming into a mini-armory that can floor men and dismantle machines alike. Lifting a loot bag burdens you appropriately, leaning you sideways with its weight. There’s satisfaction shooting through an energy shield, rival rounds deflecting faintly as your shots land true.
Bear in mind, Den of Wolves isn’t even in early access yet. This is pre-pre-alpha, and it already feels promising. Its cycle (plan, prepare, infiltrate, rob, escape) is addictive, potentially growing deeper with expanded arsenal and tactics. It refines Payday’s groundbreaking ideas from 2011 and elevates them. 10 Chambers revealed that Ulf Andersson, a creative lead of the Payday series, had been envisioning a sci-fi heist long before Payday. Den of Wolves is the culmination of 15 years of that concept taking shape.
It shows. Den of Wolves is sharp, polished, prioritizing gameplay in a way Payday 3 didn’t quite manage. 10 Chambers identified–and is addressing–the need for a fresh, cooperative heist shooter. They’re committed to ensuring Den of Wolves fills this niche excellently, enriching the player experience and community. With foresight in its monetization approach and a thorough grasp of heist dynamics, Den of Wolves could be the genre’s game-changer. Let’s see if 10 Chambers hits their mark.
Keep an eye out for Den of Wolves—it’s diving into Early Access soon, targeting PC for its release, though an official date isn’t set just yet.
