Mouse: P.I. For Hire [REVIEW] – Gorgeous Old-School Cartoon Shooting Mayhem 

It’s not every day a game comes along that GENUINELY looks like nothing else on the market, but believe me, Fumi Games has managed exactly that, with Mouse: P.I. For Hire taking the classic first-person shooter formula and wrapping it in a stunning 1930s rubber hose animation style. It’s a brilliant mashup that instantly grabs your attention, and perhaps more crucially, it actually has some top-notch gameplay to back up its incredible sense of style. 

Check out some screenshots down below: 

Let’s get the obvious out of the way first: the art direction of Mouse: P.I. For Hire is absolutely phenomenal. The entire world is presented in grainy black and white, whilst every character bobs and weaves with that signature retro bounce, and believe me, it constantly looks wonderfully distinct in-game. The developers have baked this aesthetic into the core mechanics too – defeat a goon with an explosive and they might do a wildly exaggerated freakout before turning into a pile of blinking ashes, or use a different weapon and they melt away… grisly. It adds to the variety and personality of the experience, whilst the backgrounds are stuffed with fun little gags too, giving the seedy streets of Mouseburg a real sense of charm. And backing up the chaotic action? A brilliant big band jazz soundtrack that perfectly fits the hardboiled mood without getting annoying. It’s just one of the best-presented games that I’ve played this year, with it keeping me in awe from start to end. 

Mouse: P.I. For Hire sees players stepping into the shoes of Jack Pepper, a private investigator who’s up to his neck in debt and bad memories. He’s brought to life by veteran voice actor Troy Baker, who puts in a wonderfully weary and grounded performance to help make Jack a believable protagonist. It’s clear that Jack isn’t a squeaky-clean hero though, but a tired and cynical mouse just trying to make sense of a mystery that goes far deeper than a simple missing person case. The writing is sharp, balancing adult noir themes with laugh-out-loud humour, whilst you’ll bump into all sorts of dodgy politicians, cult members, and journalists that really bring the seedy, gritty world to life. 

“Mouse: P.I. For Hire is a triumphant love letter to classic animation and old-school shooters.” 

When the talking stops, the shooting starts, and Mouse: P.I. For Hire shifts gears into a fast and frantic retro shooter. If you enjoyed the aggressive, forward-pushing combat of arena shooters, you’ll feel right at home here, with Jack nimble enough to chain dashes, double jump out of trouble, and even use his tail to grapple across arenas. The weapons are a blast to use too, ranging from punchy shotguns to bizarre acid launchers, and ammo is kept scarce enough to force you to constantly swap between them. You can also kick and punch your way out of a tight spot, which feels exceptionally satisfying, but it’s clear that the gunplay that Mouse: P.I. For Hire takes centre stage. 

It isn’t COMPLETELY flawless, though… the aiming feels quite loose and lacks the pinpoint precision you might expect from a modern shooter, whilst the lack of enemy variety can make the general combat feel a bit repetitive towards the final hours. Thankfully, the boss battles completely save the day, with these wildly creative encounters forcing you to use all your movement abilities in order to survive. I won’t spoil anything here, but these instances really demonstrate just how creative and clever Mouse: P.I. For Hire can be. 

Check out some screenshots down below: 

The levels themselves offer a nice mix of straightforward shooting galleries and hidden side paths, with plenty to get stuck into if you do want to venture off the beaten path a little. Between these missions, Jack heads back to his office and the local hub area, where you can chat with the locals, take on side quests, and upgrade your gear. There’s also a baseball card minigame at the local bar, and whilst it’s a little bit simple, it’s a nice distraction that fits the tone of the game perfectly. 

And, of course, seeing as you play as a detective, you might expect to do some actual sleuthing, but sadly, the game holds your hand VERY tightly during the investigation segments, with clues automatically pinned to your board and the game telling you where to go next. It would have been nice to have a bit more freedom to solve the mystery yourself, whilst you’ll also run into quite a few invisible walls while exploring the city. It shows that whilst Mouse: P.I. For Hire does do a lot of wonderful things, it has the occasional hiccup across its roughly twelve-hour runtime.

Developer: Fumi Games 
Publisher: PlaySide 
Platform(s): PC (Reviewed), PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2 
Website: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2416450/MOUSE_PI_For_Hire/