Storm Lancers Shadow-Drops on Switch — Couch Co-op Roguelike With 80s Glow

Storm Lancers Just Shadow-Dropped – Here’s Why That Actually Matters

Storm Lancers popped up during today’s Nintendo Direct with a surprise “available now” on the eShop. That alone got my attention-shadow-drops rarely come from a company like ProbablyMonsters, the Bungie-vet-led outfit known more for incubating studios than shipping their own games. A $19.99 action roguelike leaning hard into native couch co-op and retro 80s styling? That’s a smart bet on the Switch’s living room sweet spot-if the co-op is truly baked into the design, not bolted on.

• It’s a co-op-first roguelike on Switch, launching at $19.99 and rated E10+.
• Five shifting biomes, a Storm Bindings build system with trade-offs, and a dozen-plus weapon types.
• Surprise launch during Nintendo Direct means no long wait—just questions about performance and depth.
• ProbablyMonsters’ first shipped game signals a hands-on pivot from studio incubator to developer with skin in the game.

Breaking Down the Announcement

Here are the facts: Storm Lancers is out now on Nintendo Switch via the eShop for $19.99. It’s an action roguelike with “frenetic combat, nimble evasions, and powerful augmentations” set on a living planet powered by reality magic. The pitch is classic roguelike: run-based progression across five dynamic biomes, escalating threats, and a meta layer—here called Storm Bindings—that lets you tailor builds with perks and trade-offs. The headline twist is “native couch co-op,” emphasized by the team as a core pillar rather than an afterthought.

On paper, it reads like a mash of Hades’ speed, Children of Morta’s co-op heart, and Risk of Rain 2’s synergy chaos, smothered in 80s neon. The ESRB E10+ rating also hints at approachability—you can feasibly spin this up with younger players without the content concerns that gatekeep a lot of roguelikes.

The Co-op Pitch — Cool, But Can They Nail the Hard Parts?

“Native couch co-op” sounds great, but it’s notoriously hard to get right in a roguelike. We’ve seen both wins and whiffs: Enter the Gungeon’s co-op is fun but chaotic; Children of Morta builds family-specific synergies; Risk of Rain 2 thrives on stackable item madness but can overwhelm new players. The success of Storm Lancers will come down to readability, friction, and meaningful roles.

The press blurb mentions “over a dozen weapon types” and perks that shine “especially when combined with powerful evasion techniques.” That’s promising—evade-centric kits can create clean co-op roles: one player controlling space with crowd tools, the other surgically deleting elites. What we still don’t know matters just as much: Is there drop-in/drop-out mid-run? Shared or individual loot? Friendly fire toggles? Revive mechanics or limited lives? Without smart guardrails, co-op can either trivialize runs or turn into a griefy mess.

Switch Fit: Performance, Readability, and Joy-Con Realities

Roguelikes live or die on responsiveness. The trailer sells “fast-paced” play, so my immediate question is frame rate. If Storm Lancers hits a stable 60 fps in co-op, the combat loop will sing; if it dips, your dodge timing—and fun—goes out the window. The 80s palette looks bright and readable on a TV, but tabletop mode can expose UI squinting and color-blur in particle-heavy fights. Color-coded player silhouettes, thick outlines, and clear hurtboxes will matter more here than any lore about reality magic.

Also: does it support single Joy-Con per player? That’s a quiet killer feature for couch co-op on Switch. No confirmation yet, but if Storm Lancers wants to plant a flag as “the” living room roguelike, easy two-player setups are essential. Online co-op wasn’t mentioned; assume local only until proven otherwise.

Why ProbablyMonsters Shipping This Is Interesting

ProbablyMonsters was founded by former Bungie president/CEO Harold Ryan, and the company’s known for spinning up teams and IP rather than pushing out small eShop titles. That’s why this debut is intriguing. A sub-$20 co-op roguelike on Switch reads like a deliberate move to establish a playable, community-friendly foothold instead of chasing a bloated first swing.

If there’s any Bungie DNA carrying over, I’d expect tight input feel, a strong “verbs” toolkit (dash, slide, parry, whatever “evasion” really entails), and combat readability that rewards mastery. The Storm Bindings’ trade-off language suggests buildcraft with real risk/reward—think glass-cannon perks that force you to commit to dodges rather than turtle.

What Gamers Need to Know Before Buying

• Price/Availability: $19.99, available now on Nintendo Switch via the eShop.
• Core Hook: Native couch co-op baked into a run-based action roguelike.
• Content: Five shifting biomes, a dozen-plus weapon types, meta progression via Storm Bindings with trade-offs.
• Rating: E10+, likely approachable for family play.
• Unknowns: Frame rate in co-op, drop-in/out support, single Joy-Con controls, friendly fire, and online play (not mentioned).
• Depth Check: We’ll see how many unlocks, synergies, and boss variations keep runs fresh past the first weekend.

Looking Ahead

Shadow-dropping gets Storm Lancers immediate hands-on time, which is the right call for a feel-first game. If the co-op is frictionless and Switch performance holds steady, this could slot nicely alongside Enter the Gungeon and Children of Morta as a go-to local romp. If readability tanks in two-player chaos or the Storm Bindings don’t meaningfully change runs, it’ll struggle to stand out in a crowded genre.

At $20, it’s an easy impulse buy for co-op fans who want something new to play tonight. If you live for deep meta progression and long-tail builds, maybe wait for impressions to confirm the loop has legs. Either way, it’s good to see ProbablyMonsters ship something playable and punchy. Now show us that the “co-op in its DNA” line means more than marketing.

TL;DR

Storm Lancers surprise-launched on Switch as a $19.99 couch co-op roguelike with neon flair and a buildcraft system called Storm Bindings. If it runs smoothly and the co-op roles click, this could be a sleeper hit; if performance or readability falter, it’ll fade fast. Worth a look tonight if local co-op is your jam.