Everything was perfectly planned, or so we thought. My team and I had poured hours into planning our extravagant heist. We scoped out the high-security bank down to the smallest detail, gathered the necessary gear to execute our escape flawlessly, and even had a swarm of drones prepped as part of our elaborate façade. It was as foolproof as it gets—until the unexpected happened, like in any classic heist story.
Greed, a notorious culprit, threw a wrench into our plans. We had already accessed our main goal: data deeply buried within the mind of a high-powered CEO, intertwined with a futuristic apparatus. We hacked into his brain, extracted vital blueprints, and were all set to get out. But then a colleague from the 10 Chambers team mentioned the tempting idea of raiding the other vaults in the bank.
Why not, right? Our exit strategy involved a daring base jump from a skyscraper’s summit. Grabbing additional loot sounded like a minor risk. Yet, just as we positioned ourselves in the mezzanine, a flood of security guards, robots, and hired guns burst onto the scene, unleashing a hail of bullets. One team member got cornered in the lobby, while another was blindsided by a grenade. I was holding the rear for our escape when a sniper across the hall took me out. Just like that, our carefully plotted heist fell apart.
This game, Den of Wolves, truly embodies the chaotic thrill of heist narratives. The fun lies in its unpredictability. Unlike titles like Payday or Payday 2, where players might dive into a heist without solid strategies, Den of Wolves demands careful preparation. It feels like you’re part of an epic movie plot, with each teammate playing distinct roles, some with cool nonchalance, others eager to take daring risks.
Simon Viklund, 10 Chambers’ co-founder, draws parallels to the movie ‘Heat,’ where heists involve intensive pre-planning. In Den of Wolves, executing a story-driven heist means first tackling smaller missions to gather intel and resources, increasing your odds of success.
In a prep mission, for example, we infiltrated a fortified building to acquire an assault drone. This move allowed us to enter the vault with ease as the drone efficiently neutralized obstacles. However, the game’s complexity provides room for strategic mishaps, as I discovered when I focused too much on sniping instead of equipping more versatile weapons.
Den of Wolves tweaks the mechanics popularized by Payday, adding more strategic depth and room for failure. Yet it doesn’t become overly punishing. The developers, known for their challenging game designs, infuse Den of Wolves with a sense of risk while maintaining its approachability. Our undoing during the heist was misguided ambition—not the game’s complexity.
The cyberpunk setting amplifies the experience. Every shot and action feels impactful. You feel the weight of your loot, the recoil of your weapons, and the exhilaration of outsmarting your foes. Even at this early stage of development, the game feels polished and engaging. The rhythm—plot, prep, execute, loot, repeat—becomes more rewarding as you invest time and gain new tools.
Ulf Andersson, known for spearheading the Payday series, has long envisioned a sci-fi heist game, and Den of Wolves embodies this vision. The game promises depth and creativity in a genre that thirsts for innovation. It responds to market demands for a co-op heist shooter with focus and flair. With its intelligent monetization strategy and deep understanding of heist mechanics, Den of Wolves could redefine the genre. Hopefully, 10 Chambers successfully brings this ambitious project to fruition.
Soon, Den of Wolves will enter Early Access on PC, though an exact release date remains unannounced as of now.
