- Publisher: PlaySide Studios
- Release Date: Apr 16, 2026
- Also On: PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X
- Critic score
- Publication
- By date
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Apr 27, 2026Initially, I wasn’t sure how well the mixture of influences and styles was working, but it’s a testament to the attention to detail and polish that’s gone into the whole production that Mouse: P.I. for Hire achieves such a high score. The story takes a bit of time to become truly gripping, but it does so at the exact same time as the combat and style reach new levels of quality, and I couldn’t help but be impressed. While I can’t say I am stunned or in awe of the clue-collecting, I very much enjoyed my playthrough. Mouse: PI for Hire feels fresh and fun, and I only have praise for the whole team who produced it. This animated noir mystery is a great achievement. It takes risks, it’s challenging, it strives to be bold - and it works.
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May 15, 2026The art style is brilliant, and the game's structure is sure to surprise boomer shooter fans. The levels are diverse despite the black and white, and the voice acting and text are at a level that demands full attention. It occasionally drops frazes on Switch 2, and I wish there were more enemy types but still it's a great game.
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May 6, 2026MOUSE: P.I. For Hire has a striking personality that grabs the player right from the beginning thanks to its art style, looks and quality writing when it comes to creating a noir world, and performs equally strongly when it comes to the game's FPS action. Even if its detective component falls below the rest of the experience, this is a very solid and captivating game that fits perfectly on the Nintendo Switch 2 catalogue, further aided by its mouse controls.
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Apr 30, 2026Mouse: P.I. for Hire contains an excellent 6 to 8-hour game that's trapped in the body of a good 10 to 15-hour game. Despite its memorable, eye-catching art style, the lack of color ends up being another factor that makes the length less sustainable. Fortunately, excellent performances from the voice cast and compelling writing give Mouseburg a charming character all its own. Solid first-person shooter gameplay and unique bosses make it easy to recommend for fans of the genre, especially those who don't mind the extended experience. Switch 2 players may particularly enjoy mouse mode, a fitting way to play, but there is some stuttering in Performance mode, which aims at 60 fps. If you love a good trenchcoat-clad, heat-packing hero with a wit as sharp as his cheese, go ahead and hire this mouse to take a sharp-toothed bite out of crime.