Everything was supposed to go off without a hitch. We’d mapped out every detail, my crew and I, investing days into preparing for this heist. We patiently dissected the futuristic bank’s operations, acquired the equipment to shatter windows for a quick get-out, and programmed a swarm of deadly drones to help us slip under the radar, masked as guys making a simple delivery. It was a flawless plan, right up until everything unraveled, as good heist stories often do.
The cause? Greed, as it usually is. We had already grabbed our main objective—a cache of valuable data housed in the cerebral matrix of a high-flying CEO, languishing in a high-tech cocoon. We’d cracked into his brain, snatched the intel, and were nearly out the door when one of our own, a dev from 10 Chambers, suggested, “Why not snag some extra loot from the other vaults?”
Why not? Our escape route, a dramatic base jump from the top floors of a skyscraper towering over the city, was prepped and ready. Adding a few bags of cash seemed harmless. But as we moved into position on the mezzanine, a tidal wave of security droids and mercenaries swept into our path, all guns blazing and shields deployed. One team member got pinned on the chaotic slaughterhouse of the lobby below. A dev manning the right flank on our team was blindsided by a grenade. Just as I was set to lead the retreat, a sharpshooter with a DMR caught me off guard with a well-placed shot. Game over. Our heist was toast.
And that’s what makes this game great. I enjoy a heist that can go south unexpectedly. “Never seen a squad flood in that fast,” remarked one of the developers. “Shows anything can happen!” That’s a unique pull for Den of Wolves. Games like Payday and its sequel often drop you into the action with just a rough plan—perhaps one member quietly cracks the vault while another dives in guns blazing, meanwhile someone might be off in their own world in a corner. Den of Wolves flips the script.
In this game, preparation is everything. It feels a bit like an Ocean’s movie. Imagine one of you as George Clooney, orchestrating the whole shebang, while another channels a laid-back Brad Pitt, just rolling with the crew’s plan, and maybe someone else plays the ambitious Matt Damon, keen to gamble for those glory points.
“It leans more towards Heat,” simulates the thoughts of Simon Viklund, co-founder and narrative director at 10 Chambers. “Think about it: in Heat, they assembled the explosives, swiped an ambulance—all part of the careful setup.” And that forms the backbone for Den of Wolves. You tackle smaller tasks before the big heist—perhaps an assault drone ‘requisition’ from a fortified site—setting the stage for a smoother heist.
This prep makes or breaks you. The main heist may stretch to 40 minutes, while the setup only takes about ten. The way we slipped the drone inside a delivery package, enabling a breezy access into the vault, was key. But once it came out, everything went wild, and there we were, on track and on the clock.
“It’s grittier, cooler than any Ocean’s flick,” chuckles Viklund. “And offers players more choice,” letting you decide whether to lean into stealth, long-range sniping, or full-blown assault depending on your initial prep. In hindsight, perhaps my sharpshooter setup wasn’t ideal—I’m brilliant with a battle rifle, but an SMG might have saved us from the late-stage swarm of enemies. Such are the reflections drifting through the afterlife.
What Den of Wolves does is elevate the Payday formula. With some of the same creative minds behind both Payday and its sequel at the helm, this game resounds with higher stakes, precision, and the ever-present shadow of imminent disaster. It captures the high-wire thrill of the job, undoubtedly a lesson learned from creating the intense GTFO. Yet, it’s welcoming enough for newcomers. Our downfall? Collective greed, plain and simple.
Wrapped in a sleek cyberpunk atmosphere, the gameplay is crisp and dynamic. Weapons like the DMR pack a punch, and the pistol—more akin to a Desert Eagle—sends foes reeling. The physics and impact translate well, like a real-life haul of cash altering your balance as you lumber with it. Blasting through an energy shield packs a strategic punch, as shots bounce ineffectively from the barrier, leaving you feeling clever.
What’s remarkable is that the game isn’t even in early access yet. Despite its pre-pre-alpha label, it feels this polished. The cycle of planning, preparing, infiltrating, looting, and repeating seems primed to become more compelling with time. More tools and strategies will make this loop even more rewarding. It pushes the envelope beyond what made Payday innovative back in 2011. Initially crafting a sci-fi heist concept even before the original Payday saw the light, Ulf Andersson’s long-brewing vision finds its expression in Den of Wolves.
The game is smart, sharply designed, rich with quality, and laser-focused on the gameplay experience—something I believe Payday 3 stumbled on. Recognizing a current void for player-driven heist shooters, 10 Chambers throws its weight into filling it with finesse. With thoughtful monetization and a profound grasp of the heist-shooter genre, Den of Wolves aims to reinvigorate the field. Here’s hoping 10 Chambers nails it.
Den of Wolves is poised to enter Early Access soon, launching initially for PC. However, as of now, no official date has been disclosed.
