10 Chambers, the studio behind 2019’s FPS GTFO, is trying to return to its roots with its upcoming venture Den of Wolves. By making a cyberpunk heist recreation the place gamers full a collection of missions to make sure they’re all prepared for the job forward. For these unaware, 10 Chambers was initially based in 2015 by Ulf Andersson, who labored as the sport designer on Payday and Payday 2. Throughout GDC 2025, MonsterVine was invited to a fingers-on preview of Den of Wolves, the place we acquired to take a seat down and play an early construct of the sport.
Den of Wolves performs proper into the cyberpunk style, wherein companies are given a variety of energy with little to no regulation. As a result of of this, issues go dangerous for the frequent people, and crime is only a half of on a regular basis life there.
Throughout my time with the sport, we acquired to play two missions. The primary one was a set-up mission earlier than the massive heist. Because the recreation is supposed to be performed with pals, I used to be thrown into a foyer with one other journalist and two builders from 10 Chambers. This was so they may guarantee we’d have the very best expertise with the sport. Earlier than we loaded in, we chosen our load-outs, and I made a decision to maintain issues easy: a pistol and shotgun with a protect that could possibly be thrown as much as block bullets.
Earlier than loading in, I used to be knowledgeable that the set-up missions are supposed to be chunk-sized ranges since you and your buddies can shortly full them in about 10 to twenty minutes. Not like the heist, they’re extra easy. As quickly because the mission began, we had been instructed to be as silent as potential and keep away from fight for stealth. However of course, we instantly opted to go loud as a substitute.
What caught my eye from the start was how the gunplay felt. Much like Payday, it virtually felt actual as a result of you’ll be able to’t maintain down the set off and anticipate it to nonetheless be correct. That is essential to say as a result of although the realm we had been in was small, it had so much of cowl for enemies to cover behind. As tacky because it sounded, each shot really counted as a result of if I missed a couple of, I ran the chance of getting swarmed by different enemies working my approach.
However as soon as we had been accomplished preventing by squads of enemies, we had been tasked with breaking into a small vault, and that is the place the spirit of Payday really shines. As soon as we began the drill to get into the vault, we had been instantly swarmed by enemies, and once in a while, the drill would stall out, so one of us could be compelled to fall again and restore it. If this sounds acquainted, it’s as a result of Payday has an identical system each time gamers bust into a vault. It’s good to see 10 Chambers pay a slight homage to some of their older video games at one other studio. As soon as the vault was open, we instantly took every little thing we noticed whereas preventing off what appeared like an limitless military.
We had been now prepared for the massive heist forward as quickly as we escaped. Apparently sufficient, earlier than we launched into the ultimate half of our preview, the group pulled us apart and knowledgeable us that this construct had locked us into a particular heist run. The group then defined that when the sport is launched, the ultimate heist will fluctuate based mostly on how gamers full the set-up missions. For this one, we had been going to stroll by the entrance door of a rival gang and trick them into letting us into the vault room. But when the set-up missions had been accomplished in a different way, we might have had a extra aggressive method, corresponding to taking pictures our approach to the primary room.
Though the group didn’t go into an excessive amount of element on the type of methods gamers would have the ability to play the ultimate mission. They did allude that there could be a number of methods to finish it. This acquired me hooked as a result of it meant that every run could be distinctive based mostly on how gamers accomplished them.
It was clear that the ultimate mission had much more weight to it, too. From the very begin, the tone was set with intense music that made each step really feel heavier than the final. On prime of that, we had a rival gang chief taunting us by a microphone, saying every little thing they may to make us really feel small. All whereas strolling by an deserted constructing that had primarily turned into a small gang base.
The chief had allow us to into his fortress as a result of he was beneath the impression {that a} commerce would occur. Little did they know that the merchandise we had been handing over was a drone that will kill every little thing in its sight, and that’s how we’d get into the primary vault room.
As soon as the plan was sprung into movement, we instantly broke into two teams. One group began breaking into vaults whereas the opposite arrange explosives close to a window that will guarantee our escape. After cracking open a couple of vaults and securing loot, the boss chief determined to indicate up, albeit with a machine gun and full physique armor. As quickly as that was handled, we gained entry to the primary management room, which allowed us to open the primary vault.
Inside was an individual who was locked inside, and we had been tasked with hacking into their mind to safe very important data by Diving. This was the place the sport really stood out. By this level within the degree, we had been getting attacked from all fronts, and more difficult enemies had been known as in as a result of we breached the primary vault. We had been transported to a brand new location, and as quickly because the Dive was began, I might cease in the true world. Based on the group, every Dive would differ relying on the vault. Some would come with gamers fixing a puzzle, working from a monster, or finishing an identical activity.
Our Dive took us to a psychedelic place that appeared like one thing out of Treatment Leisure’s Management. This particular Dive required us to leap from platform to platform inside a set quantity of time. As quickly as we accomplished the duty, we had been launched again into a firefight with no time to catch our breath. This was repeated a couple of extra instances till we acquired what we would have liked. This additionally created some attention-grabbing dynamics as a result of while you knew a Dive was coming, it compelled you to discover a considerably secure spot. As a result of if you happen to didn’t, you’d be thrown proper again into the warmth of fight the second it ended and run the chance of getting killed. As soon as we acquired every little thing from the Dives, we ran to our escape routes and left with all of the loot we had stolen.
That is the place our preview ended. Though 10 Chambers gave us a sneak peek at a really early construct of the sport, I used to be blown away by how enjoyable it’s. It seems like a return to type for the studio, and it’s clear that so much of ardour has been put into the sport. I walked away from Den of Wolves extra excited than after I entered. Den of Wolves doesn’t have a launch date, however it’s anticipated to enter Early Entry later this yr.
(*10*)
Source link
#Den #Wolves #Preview #Deep #Dive #Chambers #Big #Heist #Game #MonsterVine
