A Unique Blend of Payday, Cyberpunk, and Heat: Den of Wolves Reinforces the Appeal of Co-op Heist Games

We had everything lined up perfectly—or so we thought. My team and I had spent days meticulously planning every detail of the bank heist. We scoped out the high-tech bank, gathered the necessary gear to bust open the windows, and prepared an army of drones to provide cover by posing as innocent delivery agents. With such fool-proof strategies, nothing could possibly go wrong—or so we believed. But, of course, life had other plans.

Our downfall was rooted in sheer greed. Once we had captured the essential data from the mind of a CEO of a powerful tech corporation—a task that required hacking into the poor man’s very thoughts—we should have called it a day. However, one of my fellow planners, part of the development team from 10 Chambers, couldn’t resist suggesting, "Why not clear out the other vaults too?"

Our initial escape was set from the upper levels of a towering skyscraper, much like something out of Dubai. Snatching a bit more cash seemed harmless. But as fate would have it, as we took our positions, a merciless wave of security bots and hired guns stormed in, decked out with arsenal and defensive shields. Our team was unprepared for the chaos. One got caught in the lobby firefight; another got blindsided by a rogue grenade. Meanwhile, I was poised for retreat, only to get picked off by a sharpshooter from across the hall. Just like that, the whole operation crumbled.

This is what makes a good heist game interesting—its unpredictability. "I haven’t seen so many enemies appear that fast before," commented one of the developers. "Anything can happen!" That’s perhaps the magic of Den of Wolves, something its competitors like Payday often lack. While games like Payday toss you into action without much planning, here, strategy is key.

Den of Wolves demands preparation, much like executing a complex operation. Picture a gang of misfits planning a heist, each bringing something unique to the table—a bit like Ocean’s crew, where everyone from the team leader to the wildcard has a role in the scheme.

According to Simon Viklund, co-founder and narrative director at 10 Chambers, "It’s similar to Heat. The crew gets set up with explosives, steals an ambulance… and this groundwork is crucial for the actual heist." True enough, players have preparatory missions, like the time we spent 10 minutes capturing a combat drone. This choice of action had us locked and loaded for the bank, easing our way past obstacles with an unexpected technological ally.

This attention to strategic planning makes Den of Wolves different from its glitzier counterparts. "It’s got more to offer than just flashy heists," remarked Viklund with a chuckle. You have choices—whether to prioritize stealth, long-range precision, or go full assault—it all depends on how you’ve set the stage beforehand. Choosing my familiar sniper role didn’t serve me well when the situation turned dicey. In hindsight, perhaps a more agile loadout could have altered our fate.

Den of Wolves builds on the heist mechanics established by Payday creators at 10 Chambers. They inject a degree of risk and intentional design that only veterans of hardcore cooperative shooters like GTFO can master. However, despite its intensity, the game remains accessible—our failure stemmed from our misguided greed and overconfidence.

This cyberpunk-infused game bursts with action, merging spectacularly responsive mechanics with adrenaline-fueled confrontations. It nails the intricacies of the futuristic scenario, where each shot feels impactful, and environmental interactions like blazing a path through an energy shield offer a gratifying sense of tactical mastery.

Even in its very early stages, Den of Wolves demonstrates solid promise. The game’s core cycle—strategy, execution, and the inevitable retreat—grows enriched as players unlock new weapons and tactics. It takes what made Payday engaging back in the day and amplifies it. The dedicated efforts of the creative brains behind Den of Wolves reflect years of ideas and development, melding gritty sci-fi elements with gripping heist gameplay.

In the ongoing scheme of game design and execution, Den of Wolves may well fill a niche left untouched. With thoughtful plans of monetization and a strong grasp of the action-heist genre, Den of Wolves is projected to emerge as a groundbreaking title, poised to captivate players in ways its predecessors only began to explore. 10 Chambers could very well redefine the genre—fingers crossed they manage to stick the landing.

While the game is prepping for an Early Access release on PC, we’re still waiting to hear more about its official launch date.