Mouse: P.I. For Hire Is The Most Original FPS I’ve Ever Come Across

Mouse: P.I. For Hire has achieved the impossible. I think I may have finally found an FPS that I actually gel with.

As you’ve likely gathered, it’s not a genre that I particularly dip my toe into very often. You won’t find me sampling the newest Call of Duty or Battlefield entries. And the reason for that is that I just don’t find FPS concepts particularly engaging, moreso than I have any actual grievances with FPS gameplay. “Here’s yet more warfare” just isn’t a thrilling sell for me. Certainly, over the years, there have been attempts to diversify what an FPS offering consists of, but Mouse: P.I. For Hire is, like I said, the first to really earn a place on my wishlist.

Developed by Fumi Games, Mouse: P.I. For Hire is an FPS that boasts hand-drawn rubber house animated aesthetics. Think Cuphead or early Disney cartoons like Steamboat Willie. In this 1930s “jazz-fuelled” noir experience, players will step into the shoes of private investigator Jack Pepper (voiced by Troy Baker) who’s tasked with investigating the seedy underbelly of Mouseberg, filled with armed gangs and crooked cops.

High-Octane Combat Requires Players To Stay On The Move

I recently had the opportunity to go hands-on with one level of the upcoming title, with Pepper arriving at the laboratory of the Steve Bandel. I was dropped into the story without much context, but I rather quickly picked up the gist that Bandel and his cronies were secretly creating killer robots. I had to make my way through the facility, eliminating those who stood in my way whilst scouring the environment for clues I could take back to Pepper’s base of operations.

PlaySide

Mouse: P.I. For Hire offers high-octane action. There’s nowhere to hide, with the player forced to stay agile and on the move as they attempt to fend off enemies from all directions. Thankfully, the game boasts a really solid traversal system paired with great level design. Each area of this chapter featured different levels I could make use of. You can duck for cover, although that’s only a very quick fix given how enemies will hone in on you. You can, however, double jump and wall run to stay on the move.

There Are Difficulty Options Making Mouse: P.I. For Hire Accessible For All

It’s a linear experience, so you’ll essentially need to fend off a room full of goons before you progress onto the next stage. During this particular level, I also encountered three mini boss fights against one of Bandel’s creations, Robo-Betty - a lady robot dead set on murdering me. In the first instance, she stayed positioned in the centre of the room. I had to dodge her spinning beams whilst delivering enough deadly blows. In the second, the robot was much more intent on chasing me down with her huge spinning knife-like pincers. The latter battle took place in a contained area. The third introduced additional bots she could spawn.

I played Mouse: P.I. For Hire on the normal difficulty and found it to offer the perfect level of challenge. There are harder and easier options for those who need it, but the game seems to be balanced very well. You might not succeed on the first try as you get to grips with the mechanics or demands of a particular fight, but there’s a good chance you will before long. The mini boss fights offered a welcomed change of pace that prevented the entirety of the level from feeling too same-y or formulaic.

PlaySide

The roster of weapons also helps add a sense of variety into the mix. Pepper can make use of a wide array of guns, including the likes of the Micer, Devarnisher, James Gin, and Boomstick, as well as dynamite - at least in the section I played. You can freely switch between them in combat using a weapon wheel, plus there’s nothing stopping you from punching and kicking your enemies if you so desire. Ammo is dotted around the game’s levels which Pepper will automatically pick up if in near enough proximity so there’s no sense of grind on that front.

Weapons Are Built With Rubber Hose Humour In Mind

The same can be said for healing options. You won’t have to go very far before finding a health potion, or lump of cheese. There are also healing kits on the wall every now and then, plus regular save points which, in this game, take the form of typewriters. Mouse: P.I. For Hire doesn’t want to be a miserable, punishing experience. It’s joyous and whimsical, with just enough grit and challenge to appease all.

What I most enjoyed about the weapons is how incredibly well connected they are with the game’s rubber hose animated art style. It’s not just a visual gimmick; it influences the game. You can throw dynamite at your enemies, prompting comical explosions as they burst into smithereens. Perhaps my favourite weapon was the Devarnisher, which covered my enemies in turpentine before they eventually melted away. Their eyes would vacantly stare as their bones remained scattered on the floor.

PlaySide

Fumi Games had a strong vision for Mouse: P.I. For Hire and I’m already quite confident that they’ve pulled it off based on what I’ve seen. It’s beautiful to look at, with various filter settings too so players can decide how much of that noir-esque flickering they want on their display. The music is to die for, and Troy Baker offers a stellar performance as Jack Pepper. I studied film noir at university, so I have watched a lot of film noir movies. This is a great nod to that era of cinema.

Outside of Levels, There’s a Charming Open Hub in Mouseberg

When I completed the level, I was pleasantly surprised by the shift to a sort of top-down view of Mouseberg. As Pepper, I had to drive a little car back to his office and it looks like this is how players traverse between missions. Many of Mouseberg’s buildings were locked and chained up. It seems to be the case that they’ll unlock as you progress through the story with players driving to their destination. It’s a nice little inclusion as opposed to just having a loading screen. The music that plays during this transition just sets the tone perfectly.

When I arrived at Pepper’s office, I discovered a little base hub which I also didn’t expect. Eventually, I went into Pepper’s gaffe to hang up the clues I discovered on my pinboard but not before having a good look around. I was able to enter Little Big, a local dive bar where I could catch up with some of the city’s residents before I then met Tammy, a friend operating from a nearby basement who helped me level up my weapons.

PlaySide

It’s at this stage that I knew I was totally won over. The entire chapter took me around 45 minutes to complete, with Mouse: P.I. For Hire boasting over 20 chapters in total, so it looks as if we’re in for quite a substantial experience. That time passed within the blink of an eye. Mouse: P.I. For Hire’s aesthetics deserve so much praise, but this is more than just a visual feast. This is a really accomplished combat system and one that I sense fits wonderfully into the wider narrative I’m yet to discover. Mouse: P.I. For Hire oozes style, charisma, and a unique seediness that only the noir era can provide. Once again, 2026 continues to deliver.

Mouse: P.I. For Hire is set to launch on 16 April on PC (version tested), PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and Nintendo Switch 2.