Then you’ve got Fumi Games’ debut effort, which tosses all that out the window for a rubberhose animation-inspired look. That in itself would probably be enough to have someone check a look – there’s a reason this went viral in the first place. But from the very second that one opens the game, hearing what may be protagonist Jack Pepper humming the theme in his stereotypically gruff voice, you know MOUSE: P.I. For Hire is going to be something special.

"This is a black and white tour de force as much as a well-paced shooter campaign with a heart of gold (and sometimes steel)."

While a dizzying amount of effort went into its visual style – and it is genuinely striking – Fumi Games’ true goals are loftier. Portraying this alternative history, post-Quite Big Affair America, where charm and allure meet depravity, class divides and economic depression. Capturing the essence of mob fiction, icons like Dick Tracy, and a dash of Steamboat Willie, to deliver a compelling mystery narrative. Oh, and also delivering a very fun first-person shooter akin to Doom with plenty of wacky weapons, ink splatters (blood would be too excessive, after all), and responsive movement.

Which isn’t to say that MOUSE: P.I. For Hire is perfect in every single way, or couldn’t use improvements. It feels a little too streamlined in some aspects, a little too straightforward in others. But it’s not every day that a developer executes on its vision so well, drawing a sensible chuckle or two before the next over-the-top gun fight to start. This is a black and white tour de force as much as a well-paced shooter campaign with a heart of gold (and sometimes steel).

The scene is 1930s America, and the streets just aren’t the same. No, not because of the anthropomorphic mice (and shrews) or inexhaustible supply of cheese puns. Steve Bandel, the famous magician, has seemingly gone missing. Shrews are disappearing en masse. If that wasn’t enough, Betty Lynch, Steve’s former assistant and an accomplished actor, is also nowhere to be seen. What’s a private investigator and former war hero, Jack Pepper, to do in all this? The only thing he can do: Stick his snout where it doesn’t belong, turn up whatever clues he can, and pull off as many cheesy (in a good way) one-liners as he can.

Tale as old as time, or at least as old as detective noirs go, and delivered with unmatched panache that goes beyond the writing and animated cutscenes. Troy Baker slides effortlessly into the role of Pepper, but even the supporting cast – Florian Clare as the curious but indomitable Wanda Fuller, Camryn Grimes as the sweet but fiery Tammy Tumbler, Fred Tatasciore as John Brown (there’s a reason he’s probably the only John in Mouseburg), and Frank Todaro as the noble Cornelius Stilton – got the memo and knew exactly the kind of performances to turn in. The bit players – some briefly spotted, others unrevealed – also deserve their flowers, including that one goon who went, “I’m not your buddy, pal.” Simply fantastic.

"Don’t let Jack’s slicked hair and questioning stare fool you – he’s a real go-getter when it comes to spilling ink. If you’ve played any boomer shooter of late, then you’ll feel right at home with MOUSE’s shotguns, James Gun, and exotic sci-fi weaponry."

As much as all of this wowed me, however, there was a game to get into it, and I’ll admit: The overall structure of MOUSE can feel a little simplistic at first. Talk to an NPC, head to a location, gather some clues, pin them to the workboard, and with enough moxie, Jack can “resolve” the clue to open up the next location. Sometimes, the supporting cast will have some side jobs, oftentimes coinciding with a location that’s already on your radar. Not really much by way of detailed side quests – more like keeping your eyes open and collecting whatever they ask. And since you’ll be picking up anything that isn’t nailed down, it’s pretty trivial.

Give it enough time, however, and things become a lot more linear. Jack is handling three cases at once, and sometimes, multiple locations may open up. You could also stop at Roadhouses along the way, play the baseball trading card game, and collect blueprints to upgrade your weapons. More than a few safes lie in wait with the same…if you can navigate the tail-picking minigame, which can range from incredibly easy to low-key notorious, what with spikes, timers and limited moves.

The benefit of all these intertwining threads is that the pacing never sags and the mystery overwhelms. Every mission feels like a vital step forward, even if it doesn’t seem that way. It’s a testament to MOUSE’s confident writing, pulpy monologues and excellent depiction of mature themes that you’re enthralled all the way through. So much so that you may be left wanting at the very, very end, but what a ride it is.

Past the first level or two, each subsequent area packs the right amount of shortcuts and secrets, from hidden ducts to warp pipes. And while not exactly the Metroid-style backtracking touted many years ago, the different traversal abilities really open things up when it comes to combat. Don’t let Jack’s slicked hair and questioning stare fool you – he’s a real go-getter when it comes to spilling ink. If you’ve played any boomer shooter of late, then you’ll feel right at home with MOUSE’s shotguns, James Gun, and exotic sci-fi weaponry.

"I’d be remiss not to mention the soundtrack, which is full of noir jazz bangers throughout. And speaking of Steamboat Willie, to say that my heart melted during a boat mission thanks to the piano play would be an understatement."

Each one feels distinct, from the heft of the pump-action shotgun to how exquisitely the Turpentine Gun cleans foes right down to their bones. Things can feel admittedly dull in the beginning when you’ve only got a pistol and your fists. As more weapons unlock and different varieties of enemies appear, you’ll start recognizing the right situations for using certain weapons. While it’s fun to combine different effects – freezing enemies and then shattering them with bullets – alternate firing modes add to the strategy. Nothing quite like a Turpentine pop that corrodes multiple enemies in a vicinity – though it may not be as useful as the MIND-D Conscious Gun’s beam when you need some serious damage to the noggin.

MOUSE keeps its encounters fresh throughout, whether it’s the combat arenas or the objectives and threats, which extends to the boss fights. Aside from one battle, which felt more like busywork than a truly titanic showdown, they’re all memorable, some leaning more into the over-the-top nature of the game while others demand more arena shooter-like skills.

I’d be remiss not to mention the soundtrack, which is full of noir jazz bangers throughout. And speaking of Steamboat Willie, to say that my heart melted during a boat mission thanks to the piano play would be an understatement. Of course, you should expect plenty of swing jazz as well – lots of heavy drums, trumpets, and saxophones, adding to the energy of encounters. Then there are the sound effects, which are the cherry on top. The sproing of your shoes when double-jumping, the little distortion filter – I could go on, but you probably get the point.

As for notable downsides, progression is too straightforward. Collect blueprints, spend them to upgrade weapons and unlock a neat little perk at the highest tier (or not, because several weapons don’t have them). The baseball trading card game should have felt more like an escalation, as I collect better and better cards to clear tougher opponents. Instead, it’s stupidly easy to keep spamming the same opponent for tokens and restarting if things didn’t go well in the first inning. And once you’ve collected enough, there’s really no incentive to go back.

"It’s not trying to rewrite the book on first-person shooters or detective games, so much as present a stellar detective noir story with incredible characters, larger-than-life incidents, and a bit of magic."

Enemies also occasionally had some pathfinding issues, especially the flying ones that end up stuck in corners. Playing on Supersleuth, aka Hard Mode, presented enough of a challenge, but the ammo and health pickups felt a little abundant. Either way, if you’re well-versed in shooters, it’s the setting I recommend most.

All these complaints aside, though, MOUSE: P.I. For Hire is a great experience. It’s not trying to rewrite the book on first-person shooters or detective games, so much as present a stellar detective noir story with incredible characters, larger-than-life incidents, and a bit of magic. Even after completing it in about 15 hours, I rarely felt bored or disengaged, much less checked out of any dialogue. So whether you’re someone who loves the art style, wants another fun shooter, or seeks to dive into this glitzy but messed-up cartoon world, it’s well worth your time and money.

This game was reviewed on PC.

Headlining the cast is Troy Baker (Death Stranding, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle) as Jack Pepper, a soldier turned private investigator who ends up tumbling tail-first into the corruption surrounding Mouseburg. Wanda Fuller, the “resident” journalist of the city, is voiced by Florian Clare, who acted in The Strangers Chapter 1 and 2.

Tammy Tumbler, who assists Jack in upgrading weapons, is played by Camryn Grimes, whose resume includes roles in NCIS, The Mentalist, and even Swordfish. Then there’s Fred Tatasciore (Invincible, Yakuza Kiwami 3 and Dark Ties) who plays John Brown and runs the Little and Big bar. Finally, Frank Todaro of Code Vein 2 and People of Note fame voices Cornelius Stilton, a politician who’s keen on helping Jack.

It’s an eclectic cast, and we can’t wait to see what role they’ll play throughout MOUSE: P.I. For Hire when it launches on April 16th for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, PC, and Nintendo Switch 2. Check out our feature for more details in the meantime.

An explosive new launch trailer is live, and it has us eager to see what Jack Pepper gets up to in a world that’s so absurdly over-the-top, its chaos is just a part of the fun. Mouseburg is already quite interesting on its own, and Jack’s corny one-liners are a perfect fit, reminding us of those old detective films with world-weary protagonists.

It’s a solid showcase of what the game is going to throw at you, from its investigations, combat, upgrade menus, and more. It promises about 12 to 20 hours of gameplay (depending on how you play) for just $30, and that’s not counting the post-launch expansion that was announced a couple of weeks ago. There’s a lot to feel optimistic about with this one.

As always, we’re erring on the side of caution and waiting until we get some time with it before we actually begin celebrating. Like all of you, we’ve been burned before. But we must admit that the trailer, showcased below, makes it pretty damn hard to keep our excitement in check. MOUSE: P.I. For Hire arrives on April 16th, so it’s not long before we can finally dive in.

The music video takes us to El Paradiso, a casino where there’s a lot of fun to be had, although that entertainment might come at a price that’s too high for some unfortunate souls. While Jack Pepper, the game’s protagonist, makes a brief appearance, the video is still quite interesting, hinting at the kind of cases the world-weary detective might be taking on. Crooked authority figures, gangsters – the list goes on, and that’s.

We’re hoping the rest of the game’s soundtrack is as catchy as this one, as it would be the perfect accompaniment to its impressive gameplay and a bunch of interesting weapons for Pepper to use as he tracks down leads and drops droll one-liners.

This is a title we’re diving into as soon as it drops for PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and Switch 2 on April 16th. It retails for $29.99 and promises 12 to 20 hours of gameplay, which varies wildly depending on how you approach things. Best of all, there’s even more to look forward to post-launch with a story expansion in the works.

Distinct Rubber-Hose Animation is More Than Aesthetic

First impressions aren’t everything, but even cursory glances at Mouse: P.I. For Hire are arguably more memorable than countless other shooters. Drawn by hand, Mouse: P.I. For Hire adopts a 1930s rubber hose animation style – so called for the noodly limbs typifying its movement – but its contrasting black-and-whites aren’t just for aesthetic value. No, rubber hose’s inherent charm introduces a disarming undertone which studio Fumi Games capitalise on, bringing unsettling surrealness which you feel in the explosive actions of a gun-toting rodent.

A Film-Noir Inspired Detective Story

Characterised by moral ambiguity, corrupt underworlds, and moody undertones, Mouse: P.I. For Hire’s film-noir inspiration runs deeper than its vintage palette. First and foremost, this is a detective story; as rodent P.I. Jack Pepper, you’ll navigate the unscrupulous city of Mouseberg, where a simple missing persons case untangles a web of lies, kidnapping, and murder. Jack’s a grizzled, former war hero with no qualms gunning down gangland leaders and police lieutenants alike. But – as is typical of noir anti-heroes – is his mission ill-fated? Explore the seedy streets and you’ll see just how deep the mouse’s burrow goes.

20+ Action-Packed Levels Across a City Playground

Mouseberg’s reported twenty-plus levels are varied. Across your investigations, you’ll be visiting film studios and opera buildings, plus poisonous swamps and underground sewers. Likewise, recently revealed footage shows a three-stage boss fight against a robotic mouse who dwells inside a secret laboratory. There’s density here too; much like real mice who like to hide in dark, secluded areas, you’ll be wise to check every nook and cranny for any lurking danger.

Mechanically Similar to Popular Shooters

With its fast paced, run-and-gun action, Mouse: P.I. For Hire looks poised to carve out a distinct place for itself in the FPS space. While its frenetic gunplay and fluid movement are immediate standouts, the game’s hardboiled narrative suggests it is aiming for more than just satisfying action. Rather than relying solely on momentum and combat, Mouse appears to frame those mechanics as one part of a broader experience, with its storytelling playing a much more central role.

A Suite of Movement Abilities

And, speaking of movement, Jack Pepper enters the fray with a spring in his step – sliding, dashing, and double-jumping are in his moveset, as is wall-running and pipe crawling. Fumi Games are instilling a very on the move ethos, expanding on it with a broad suite of manoeuvres typical of the “Boomer Shooter” sub-genre. And yet, you’ll want to use all of Jack’s mobility options; see, he’s not an armoured Master Chief, he’s just a regular mouse with a gun. Only a few hits, the devs insist, is all it takes to down him.

Missions Offer Multiple Approaches

A key aspect of the game’s design is its non-linear, sometimes maze-like level structure, encouraging players to explore environments thoroughly rather than simply moving from one encounter to the next. Whilst it’s unclear at this stage how labyrinthine Mouseberg’s levels actually are, what we do know is you’ll have some agency in how Jack completes his missions. Take an early opera house infiltration as an example: Jack can sneak in undetected, or he can sway the corruptible denizens of the city to aid his mission; greasing the palms of the opera house staff for secret access, for instance.

Weapons are Cartoonish Twists on Period-Correct Firearms

In addition to his fists, Jack comes packing with up to eleven weapons in his arsenal. We’ll get onto the more creative firearms next, because the mainstays deserve a moment in the spotlight too, not least for their humorous reload animations. The Micer is a one-handed revolver, the Boomstick a pump-action shotgun, and the James Gun the mobster classic Tommy, with ammo that stops enemies in their tracks. The Kiss Kiss is a double-barrelled shotgun that fires explosive shells, while each gun comes equipped with an alt-fire mode: burst-shot for the Micer, hold-charge mechanism for the Boomstick, and so on. But, a special highlight is indeed the firearms’ cartoonish reloading: the James Gun’s drum, for instance, appears comically glued in place, with Jack yanking it loose with the suction of sink plunger.

Other Weapons are More Experimental

Alongside “conventional” weaponry (conventional used in the loosest way) are some bizzaro firearms straight out of the Looney Tunes playbook. A de-varnishing chemical weapon rapid-fires paint stripper that melts your enemy’s skin and flesh. The Loose Cannon is indeed a cannon, presumably sheared loose from a pirate ship; plus, there’s a freeze ray, fire-damaging chainsaws, and a science-infused attitude adjuster complete with a brain in a jar co-pilot.

Weapons Can Be Upgraded

Injecting some light RPG mechanics is Mouse: P.I. For Hire’s weapon upgrading system. Located in the game’s hub area, in Tammy’s workshop are workbenches where you can augment Jack’s firearms with specific power-ups. Details on what these upgrades entail are relatively light at the moment, although additional firing modes, alongside some experimental progressions, have been hinted by the developers.

Momentary Power-Ups Add Yet More Zaniness to Combat

Eating spinach will temporarily boost Jack’s punching power, much like Popeye; drinking coffee activates finger guns that quicken firerates, kinda like Cuphead. Cheese acts as a health boost, while chili peppers bring fire damage bonuses.

Jack’s Mousetail is a Multi-Purpose Tool

Not quite a Swiss army knife, but Jack’s tail has numerous versatile uses for traversal and gameplay explorations. At times, it’s a lockpick effective at breaking him into sealed-off areas. At others, it’s a grappling hook which can navigate him to otherwise unreachable places. It’s also, amusingly enough, capable of rapid rotation like the whir of a helicopter’s blade, spinning to get Jack airborne for one of the game’s most creative traversal options.

Hazards Dot the Environment

A crucial element underpinning the game’s “always be moving” action is the abundance of environmental hazards which you can utilise against Jack’s assailants, or your enemies will use them against you. Explosive barrels feature, alongside freezing areas, fire, and more flesh-dissolving turpentine. Surroundings are there to be crumbled too. With fistfuls of dynamite, you can level walls and floors, gaining an edge by remodelling the environment through chaos.

Original Big Band Soundtrack Underscores the Vibe

What is 1930s noir fiction without a big band soundtrack? This period in history is known as the “Swing Era” for a reason, so it’s fitting that Mouse: P.I. For Hire comes loaded with a suitably original big band score. The jazz cements the aesthetic, of course, but you can level up the music by authentically degrading it; in the game’s audio settings, there are filters which rewire the sound to replicate early wax cylinder recordings or vintage shellac vinyl.

Release Date, Length, and Price

Mouse: P.I. For Hire is set for release April 16, and it’s coming to PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, and PC via Steam. The game has been price at 29.99 USD and will be 12 to 20 hours long. Likewise, there are no pre-order bonuses or special editions currently available. Of course, should this change we’ll let you know.

PC Requirements

To meet the minimum system requirements to play Mouse: P.I. For Hire, you’ll need an Intel Core i5 9600 or Ryzen 3600 processor, GeForce 1050ti, Radeon RX 580, or Intel Xe Graphics, and 16 GB RAM. Recommended specs, however, list the same CPU as the minimum, yet with higher calibre GPUs: GeForce 3060, Radeon 6600, or Intel Arc B570. 16GB RAM is still recommended, as is 8GB VRAM. Filesize is relatively paltry at 20GB.

Physical copies will be available on July 10th for PS5 and Switch 2, with the Standard Edition retailing for $29.99 and $39.99, respectively. You can also pick up the Mouseburg Edition for $49.99 on PS5, Xbox Series X/S and PC for $49.99 and on the Nintendo Switch 2 for $59.99.

Among the physical goodies included in this edition are a seven-inch vinyl record with four tracks, a map of Mouseburg (with a pistol schematic on the back), the aforementioned comic book, 33 baseball trading cards, three postcards, and two sticker sheets. And regardless of which edition you pick up on Switch 2, it comes with a game card.

MOUSE: P.I. For Hire will offer 12 to 20 hours of gameplay, depending on one’s playstyle. Check out some boss battle gameplay here or glimpse a deeper showcase here.

Whether that includes dialogue exchanges or not is unknown, but it sounds about right for this kind of adventure. According to its Steam page, MOUSE: P.I. For Hire offers 20 different levels and “Metroidvania-inspired” level traversal, where unlocking abilities will open up new paths.

Inspired by the rubberhose animation of 1930s cartoons, the story follows P.I. Jack Pepper in Mouseburg, who takes on what seems to be a straightforward case. Of course, this spirals into an investigation of the town’s underbelly with corrupt cops and officials seemingly hiding a massive conspiracy. While Jack conducts a fair amount of investigation, there’s more than enough action to go around.

Wielding everything from Tommy Guns and revolvers to futuristic weaponry like a turpentine gun with corrosive properties and the MIND-D Conscious Gun for turning enemies against each other. You’ll need all of it for some of the more out-there bosses, including the Betty Mark III.

MOUSE: P.I. For Hire will be available for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, PC, and Nintendo Switch 2 at launch. Check out some more extensive gameplay here.

“As we approach the final stages of development, we want to ensure we are taking the extra time and care needed to make MOUSE: P.I. for Hire an experience to remember. We remain unwavering in our goal to deliver you the best game we can, and that will take just an extra few weeks,” it said alongside publisher PlaySide Studios.

Naturally, this isn’t the first delay – it was originally meant to arrive last year before being pushed to early 2026. MOUSE: P.I. For Hire focuses on Jack Pepper, a private investigator in Mouseburg, as he takes on a request from a mysterious woman. As with most detective noir, it leads to uncovering corruption and other underhanded dealings in the city.

Of course, Jack has an extensive arsenal of weaponry to even the odds, from pistols and Tommy guns to experimental weaponry like a freeze gun and corrosive ray. Alongside putting down enemies, he’ll spend an extensive amount of time investigating and solving mysteries in Mouseburg, as highlighted in this showcase.

MOUSE: P.I. For Hire is coming to PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PC, and Nintendo Switch 2. More details will be revealed before launch, but you can check out some gameplay against one of the bosses, Betty Mark III, here.

The Robo-Betty Mark III is quite a nasty creation, requiring that you get past its previous iterations, each of which has its own challenges, before it unleashes all of its deadly force. It has drones that keep you occupied while it lays down traps and laser beams that look quite painful to the touch, and has a massive health pool. Indeed, Jack empties nearly every weapon from his arsenal into the darn thing.

Per the developers, this is among the more unique bosses you’re going to find in Mouseburg, and is probably going to be a late-game appearance, considering all the weapons Jack apparently needs to take it down. Interestingly, this doesn’t seem to be the last we’ll hear of it, as developer Fumi Games promised to reveal more about the fight and the level ahead of release.

“Robo-Betty dwells in the pits of a secret laboratory and must be taken down in an epic three-stage battle. Expect more to be revealed soon about this boss fight and level, as part of an upcoming early hands-on preview for the game.”

You can check out the fight with Robo-Betty Mark III in the trailer below. MOUSE: P.I. For Hire is out on March 19th and will be available for PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PC, Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2.

From the stables of Fumi Games, this one’s shaping up to be as campy as it is satirical, with its protagonist, Jack, dropping very droll quips even as he maintains a deadpan tone – a perfect throwback to the detective stories of old. The new gameplay shows off his investigative chops – like wandering into a crime scene with a false ID – along with a better look at the hand-drawn rubberhose-style visuals.

It’s all quite well put-together, complete with a soundtrack that sounds like there’s a vinyl record player constantly following you around as you make your way through a theater in search of your quarry. Of course, there are more than a few mice hell-bent on hampering the investigation, and they’re summarily dispatched by a blend of Jack’s capable fists and his trusty pistol.

While we would have liked to see some of the title’s more quirky weapons in action, the showcase does inspire a lot of confidence in a title that could be among the finer ones to grace a year that’s filled with solid releases. It’s slated for a March 19, 2026, release on the PS4, PS5, PC, Switch, Switch 2, and Xbox Series X|S.