Den of Wolves: A Fresh Take on Co-op Heist Games with Influences from Payday, Cyberpunk, and Heat

Everything seemed unstoppable, a plan so precisely carved out in the days leading up to our grand endeavor. My team and I were all hustle and diligence—staking out the high-tech bank, gathering explosives for a dramatic window exit, and gearing up our squadron of aggressive drones to break into the bank under the guise of an ordinary delivery. We left no stone unturned. But as is typical with any epic heist, things didn’t exactly go as projected.

Greed stirred the pot—typical, isn’t it? Our main goal was already bagged: valuable data encrypted within the brain of a tech mogul CEO, curling in a high-tech cocoon. We had pierced through his mind, snatched up the critical intel, and were gearing up for the exit. “Why not grab the treasure locked away in other vaults too?” my fellow teammate—the one from the 10 Chambers dev squad—suggested.

Why not indeed? Our daring escape, involving a leap from the heights of a skyscraper reminiscent of Dubai’s skyline, awaited execution. Surely, securing additional sacks of cash along the way wouldn’t complicate things. But just as we settled in the mezzanine, a swarm of security bots and mercenaries erupted into view, brandishing firearms and tactical shields. One of our members was snared amidst the inferno sweeping across the main lobby floor. Another, keeping watch for surprises, fell prey to a well-timed grenade. I was at the rear, anticipating our exit, when a shot struck from across the hall, marking the end of our operation.

This is the thrill of a heist game done right—it teeters on the brink of unpredictability. “I’ve never seen the enemy emerge that rapidly,” a dev expressed, highlighting the allure of Den of Wolves. Unlike Payday or its sequel, where plans are loose and spontaneous, Den of Wolves demands readiness and strategy. Picture an Ocean’s 11 scenario: one of you channeling George Clooney’s strategic poise, another playing Brad Pitt’s nonchalance, and perhaps someone attempting a Matt Damon-style gamble—all devised in a whirlwind of cunning.

“You know what? It’s like a scene from Heat,” reflected Simon Viklund, co-founder and storytelling guru at 10 Chambers, during our debrief. “Think how they’re meticulously prepping in Heat, gathering gear and even swiping an ambulance. The setup mirrors our game’s essence—through mission planning and execution, crafting an escape, and shifting fate in your favor.”

Before the headline heist (an ordeal lasting upwards of 40 minutes), we tackled a shorter prep phase (lasting around 10 minutes). Our task: infiltrating a secure building to commandeer an assault drone. It paved our way seamlessly into the vault; the drone, craftily delivered, cleared house upon arrival. With safety disabled, we breached our target location.

Viklund chuckled, “It’s tougher and edgier than anything you’d see in an Ocean’s flick—and allows for player flexibility. Spot a mission and decide: stealth mode, sniper gear, or assault-ready arsenal? It depends on how you prepared.” Perhaps this was my downfall. As a marksman, my comfort lies in wielding a battle rifle or DMR. Had I anticipated a sudden swarm of adversaries, I might have opted for an SMG or incendiaries. But hindsight, as they say, is 20/20.

Den of Wolves swings the Payday template into new territories, building on the foundation laid by veterans familiar with its roots, as key figures from Payday and Payday 2 helm its development. Stakes soar higher, choices broaden, and the potential for chaos grows. This tension pays homage to the hard-hitting co-op shooter they crafted with GTFO. Fear not; the game isn’t brutal—a measure of accessibility keeps it grounded. Our undoing lay in our own avarice, our arrogance.

Set against a cyberpunk tableau, the game’s responsiveness and impact are on point. DMRs deliver their punch, and the sidearm—a Desert Eagle replica more than your typical pocket pistol—shatters foes with ease, its kick shaking both man and machine. Attempting to transport a massive bounty bears down on you as you’d expect if you were lugging $100,000 across your shoulder. Shooting through an energy barrier is rewarding; it makes a tactician of you, as enemy bullets harmlessly drift past.

Remarkably, this isn’t even an early access phase yet—what I played was a prototype, a pre-pre-alpha stage game, and it already feels stellar. The cycle of planning, prepping, infiltrating, looting, and escaping presents a rich, compelling rhythm. As you delve deeper and unlock more treats and alternatives, the gameplay rewards unfold even more richly. Looking back, it transforms the compelling elements of Payday into an amplified expression. This visionary sci-fi heist concept preceded Payday’s inception, as 10 Chambers revealed—with Ulf Andersson having nursed this vision for nearly a decade and a half.

One glance and it’s clear—Den of Wolves is crafted with intelligence, precision, and flair. Ditching any missteps of Payday 3, it sincerely focuses on intuitive gameplay. 10 Chambers is vying to address the void in the player-centric cooperative heist shooter space, dedicating itself entirely to ensuring Den of Wolves triumphantly commands that niche. Perfecting its monetization approach and understanding the heist/shooter genre, Den of Wolves stands as a promising beacon since its precedents emerged. Fingers crossed, 10 Chambers executes that concluding finesse.

Expect Den of Wolves to make its move into Early Access very shortly. It will debut on PC, though precise timing remains under wraps as of this writing.