MOUSE: P.I. For Hire Review – P.I. Far Higher

The gamer in me has been craving something new, not just any game, but something that breaks away from what we have been getting in the last few years. That is where MOUSE: P.I. For Hire comes in.

A glimpse of its gameplay went viral back in 2023, and ever since, it has been one of my most anticipated games, not just of the year, but maybe even of all time, at least until something else manages to top it.

MOUSE: P.I. For Hire delivers exactly what it showed and promised in its original reveal. Its black and white cartoon visuals, inspired by the classics many of us grew up watching, immediately pull you in and carry you through a world where crime is quietly spreading across Mouseburg, but Jack Pepper (or if you say it with a bit of French flair, Monsieur Peppeh), the city’s ex-cop and its sharpest P.I., is ready to handle it.

Doing What You Gouda Do

The protagonist Jack Pepper, a former cop turned private investigator, is taking on what seems like a routine missing person case involving a magician named Steve. Of course, it does not stay simple for long, and what starts as a familiar job quickly melts into something much bigger, pulling Jack into a layered mystery that keeps unfolding the deeper you go.

The game opens with a striking moment as you chase a suspect across an airship, only for things to fall apart and send Jack plummeting. From there, the story rewinds to where it all began, with a call about Steve’s sudden disappearance mid-performance.

The game leans heavily into its narrative, backed by strong voice acting and a steady stream of well-placed cheese puns that land more often than not. Troy Baker, in particular, does a great job bringing Jack Pepper to life, capturing that classic detective tone with just enough personality to make it stick.

The story pulls you in almost immediately, letting you follow leads, piece together clues, and slowly connect everything as the case unfolds. The pacing kept me engaged the entire time, and across my 20 hours with the game, it never really lost its grip. I even found myself starting a second playthrough just to catch what I missed, especially with how many secrets are tucked away throughout.

Say Cheese, Then Shoot

MOUSE: P.I. For Hire plays as a straightforward first-person shooter set in Mouseburg, where you follow clues from one location to another while building your case. It stays linear and focused, which fits the detective angle well, even if it limits how much you can wander off on your own.

Each lead pushes you forward to a new area, keeping the pacing tight. You handle your own travel between locations through short, stylized car sequences shown from a top-down view, which adds a bit of charm even if it is more of a transition than actual gameplay.

Between investigations, you return to your P.I. office where you use your crime wall to pin together the clues you have collected. It is a simple system, but it gives a clear sense of progress as everything starts to melt together like cheese on a warm skillet. Every new clue feels like another piece of the puzzle snapping into place, or another slice cut from the same wheel; if you will.

The main town also gives you time to interact with side characters, such as your friends Tammy, Wanda, John, and Stilton, who occasionally offer extra tasks if you are already heading toward certain locations.

Cutting To The Cheese

You start off MOUSE: P.I. For Hire with a basic pistol and your fists, and the game gives you time to get comfortable before gradually introducing more weapons, adding variety without overwhelming you.

Not only that, but you will be able to upgrade your weapons to unlock alt fire, deal more damage, and so on, slowly grating more power out of your arsenal as you progress. Weapon upgrades also open up fairly early, which helps keep things moving without slowing the pace.

The game’s combat leans into its cartoon style, and it feels intentionally light rather than realistic. The animations add a lot of personality to the game, especially things like the shotgun reload where Jack just shoves a bunch of bullets into the gun, the heads popping out from enemies, the save animation of the typewriter typing itself in the corner, the health indicator shown as a heart that changes depending on your current health threshold, the bullet type animations, and so many more.

The locations are mostly linear, but they still leave room for small detours. There are hidden rooms with money to collect, collectibles that range from newspapers to baseball cards, and little secrets scattered around, rewarding players who take the time to look beyond the main path.

What really brings everything together is the sound design. From movement to reloading to simple actions like crouching, every sound effect leans fully into that cartoon identity. Even small moments, like diving into water, come with unique audio touches that stand out and somehow remind me of Bioshock.

The music deserves just as much credit. The jazz-inspired soundtrack fits perfectly with the setting, and it is squeaky clear that a lot of attention went into even the smallest details.

Verdict

The game’s 20 hours felt like a cheese-fueled fever dream, and just when I was fully into it, it was already over. I never really felt the passing of time while playing it.

But that’s fine, because there is no fluff and no filler, nothing stretched just to pad things out. It is a tightly packed experience, and anything added on top would have affected the pacing and the narrative flow. Still, I cannot help but think that a DLC would be mice.

MOUSE: P.I. For Hire is a unique adventure for anyone tired of the same big releases that keep rolling out. It stands out for its style, its visuals, its music, its gameplay, its dialogue, and its voice acting, all of which come together into something cohesive and memorable.

At a fair price of $29.99, it is easy to recommend, especially if you are looking for something that feels a little more well-aged than the usual releases.

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Developer: Fumi Games
Publisher: PlaySide Studios
Country of Origin: Poland
Release Date: April 16, 2026 (PC (Steam), PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S (with XPA) and Nintendo Switch 2)

This review is based on a developer-provided copy of the PC version of the game.

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