Storm Lancers Shadow-Drops on Switch: Co-op Roguelike With 80s Flair—Worth Your Couch Time?

Storm Lancers Shadow-Drops on Switch-and It’s ProbablyMonsters’ First Ship

This one caught my attention for two reasons: it’s a surprise drop during a Nintendo Direct, and it’s the first-ever release from ProbablyMonsters-the studio group founded by former Bungie boss Harold Ryan. Storm Lancers is a $19.99 action roguelike, out now on the Nintendo eShop, leaning into retro 80s vibes, brisk combat, and-most notably—native couch co-op built into its core design. On paper, that’s a sweet fit for Switch. The question is whether it’s doing anything genuinely new in a genre already stacked with killers like Hades, Dead Cells, and 30XX.

Key Takeaways

• $19.99, E10+, Switch-only (for now) with local co-op baked in—good for family nights and shared runs.
• Five “ever-shifting” biomes and more than a dozen weapon types sound solid, if not wild, for a launch.
• “Storm Bindings” build system promises trade-off-driven synergy; unclear how deep the meta goes.
• No mention of online co-op; that’s a big caveat for roguelike fans who don’t share a couch.

Breaking Down the Announcement

Storm Lancers drops you on a living planet fueled by “reality magic,” tasking you with diving toward its fractured core while fighting the Harvesters—an alien machine race chewing through, well, everything. The pitch is classic roguelike loop: survive brisk encounters, chain evasions, and shape your build on the fly via a system called Storm Bindings. You’re traversing five shifting biomes with stronger enemies deeper in, looting new items and abilities as you go. That’s table stakes in 2025, but the Switch couch co-op angle is the differentiator. ProbablyMonsters calls couch co-op “in the game’s DNA,” which is a bold claim in a space where local co-op exists (30XX, Children of Morta, Enter the Gungeon) but isn’t always the priority.

The team is emphasizing readability and accessibility: colorful visuals, “easy-to-understand, challenging-to-master” systems, and an ESRB E10+ rating. That suggests a friendlier tone than the genre’s grimmer sorties, and potentially a gateway roguelike you can play with younger gamers without the gore quotient shooting through the ceiling.

Does Couch Co-op Really Change the Roguelike Loop?

Local co-op can be magic in a roguelike—until the screen gets too busy to parse or one player drags the other into a bad death spiral. The best co-op designs handle camera control, revive mechanics, and build synergy cleanly. That’s where I want answers: is this true drop-in/drop-out? Does difficulty scale with two players? Any friendly fire? Can partners specialize—one leaning into evasions and buffs while the other goes full glass cannon? Risk of Rain 2 nailed team item synergy but is online-focused; 30XX shows how local co-op can work with tight level readability. If Storm Lancers threads that needle, its “co-op first” identity could be more than marketing.

Style vs. Clarity: The 80s Neon Question

Retro 80s presentation is everywhere right now—synth palettes, chunky UI, glowy particle spam. Looks great in a trailer, but in a twin-stick-adjacent roguelike with two players, visual clarity is king. The pitch mentions “colorful visuals,” which is promising, yet I’ll be watching for readable enemy telegraphs, clean silhouettes, and dodge windows that stay visible even when you’re drowning in particles. If the art direction prioritizes clarity over Instagram neon, co-op will benefit massively.

Buildcraft and Progression: What Are Storm Bindings, Really?

Storm Bindings are described as enhancements with trade-offs—language that lands somewhere between Hades’ boons and Dead Cells’ mutations. The difference maker is whether Bindings are run-based only or feed a meta-progression that meaningfully changes your next attempt. Roguelikes live and die by interesting decision friction: take the damage boost but lose iframes on dash? Stack evasion perks that demand higher precision? Pair that with “more than a dozen” weapon types and you’ve got a decent launch foundation, though “dozen-plus” is conservative compared to genre heavyweights. The number matters less than how drastically weapons and Bindings alter your playstyle—and whether two-player builds create unique synergies you can’t access solo.

Value Check and Switch Fit

At $19.99, Storm Lancers slots right into the “take a chance” tier. The E10+ rating plus native couch co-op screams Switch audience, and a five-biome roguelike at this price doesn’t need a 100-hour item compendium to feel worth it—if the runs are punchy and the upgrades meaningful. Performance will be the decider. A game built around fast evasions can’t afford frame hitches or input mush in two-player mode. ProbablyMonsters didn’t share performance targets, and the Direct reveal didn’t dig into tech, so post-launch impressions will be key here. Also worth noting: there’s no mention of online co-op. If you’re hoping to squad up remotely, temper expectations.

Why This Launch Matters for ProbablyMonsters

ProbablyMonsters has spent years building studios behind the scenes; Storm Lancers is their first shipped title under the company banner. That’s a signal: they’re not just incubating AAA dreams—they’re willing to put out tighter, colorful projects designed for immediate fun and a specific platform. Leading with a co-op roguelike on Switch is a smart, low-friction way to introduce the brand to players. If it lands, it gives them credibility beyond being “that studio collective founded by an ex-Bungie exec.” If it stumbles, it’ll be because co-op execution and progression depth didn’t match the ambition.

TL;DR

Storm Lancers is a $19.99, E10+ roguelike that shadow-dropped on Switch with native couch co-op and slick 80s style. The hook is real; now it needs crisp performance, readable action, and build depth—especially in two-player—to stand out in a crowded genre. If you’ve got a co-op partner on the couch, this one’s worth a look.