MOUSE: P.I. For Hire

MOUSE: P.I. For Hire is an exceptional, hand-crafted FPS experience worth picking up today.

MOUSE: P.I. For Hire embodies a magnificent triple-threat of retro stylings, managing a careful balancing act between noir theming, cartoony visuals, and vintage FPS gameplay. The gameplay is fast, responsive, and above all else, fun as all get out, while the story and characters manage to be intriguing in that classic pulp novel fashion while also being entertaining to watch and talk to. It draws you in like a detective magazine, getting you invested in the state of the city, while keeping you merrily chugging along with good ol’ cartoony violence. It’s not a revolutionary game as far as the FPS genre goes, but considering its adherence to multiple kinds of retro aesthetics, I don’t think being revolutionary was the mission statement here.

Color graded in black and white, don't be fooled by its noir film aesthetic—this FPS is vibrant. A true passion project that's pure entertainment from start to finish, MOUSE: P.I. For Hire is an impressive and unpredictably wild rollercoaster ride of high octane action, witty dialogue, and innovative fun. Side effects from playing MOUSE: P.I. For Hire may include: Humming to the main theme when completing ordinary tasks, making cheese puns in conversation, seeing the world in black and white, wishing Call of Duty had animated bullets, and adding detective experience onto your resume. Be warned, you'll want all future games to be as detailed as this, I certainly do.

Mouse: P.I. For Hire is one of those rare games that feels fully formed, not just in its individual parts, but in how those parts come together. It’s a shooter, yes, but it’s also a character study, a stylistic experiment, and a love letter to a form of animation that rarely gets this kind of attention in games. It feels tailored for me, as a person, and it’s well worth the wait. By combining a strong narrative structure with expressive gameplay and a truly unique visual identity, it stands out in an increasingly crowded genre.

Mouse P.I. For Hire takes every noir trope and turns it into something new. A monochrome shooter with a delicious mystery at its core, the varied locales and wonderful voice cast make this one of the best games I've played all year.

MOUSE: P.I. For Hire is the game we need right now. It’s visuals dazzle without the need for an expensive new RTX video-card. It’s plot advances without the frustration that can ruin the pacing of many investigatory undertakings. With its smart design and engaging combat Fumi Games’ debut blends style and substance into a noir adventure that rarely misses a beat.

This game is full of quality, style, and screams "fun" at almost any given moment, and even though it's not exactly groundbreaking in terms of the systems it's built from, the execution of each of the elements that make up this great game is simply unusually impressive in its quality, making this game a hot recommendation for fans of the genre, and not only.

The Golden Age of Animation wasn’t called that for nothing, and MOUSE: P.I. For Hire is its modern gold standard following the likes of Cuphead and Bendy. Though relatively simple as a shooter and not up to par pacing-wise, this game has the production value and vision of yesteryear, and is a hand-made, hand-drawn testament to the art form of animation. Back it up with jazzy tunes and the best voice actors money can buy, and you’ve got another squash n’ stretch best-seller hot off the presses.

MOUSE: P.I. For Hire delivers a confident blend of noir storytelling and retro-inspired FPS design, pairing stylish black-and-white visuals with satisfying, fast-paced combat and a surprisingly grounded detective narrative. Its strongest moments come from the balance between chaotic shootouts and slower investigative sequences, all anchored by a compelling performance from its lead. While the aiming can feel imprecise and the detective systems play it a bit too safe, the game’s identity, atmosphere, and pacing help it stand out in a crowded genre.

There’s a lot to love with Mouse: P.I. For Hire, from its frenetic gunfights to its endearing characters and wonderful rubber hose animation. If you’re looking for a shooter that’s likely to entertain, I can’t recommend this one enough.

Mouse: P.I. for Hire is absolutely excellent. The presentation is stellar, with graphics that accomplish their goal of creating an interactive version of a 1930s cartoon. The soundtrack is good enough to convert players into fans of big band jazz. The shooting and platforming feel right, while the game clocks in at the right length. For fans of both shooting and action in general, Mouse: P.I. for Hire is a must-have title.

Cliches and homages abound in MOUSE: P.I. For Hire, and it gleefully embraces them while offering a compelling detective mystery wrought with over-the-top violence and a cast that's having the time of their lives.

Mouse: P.I. For Hire features a gumshoe worth his salt. Every time I'd sit down to play it, I'd have a huge smile on my face, just like it was waking up to watch cartoons on Saturday morning (albeit a lot more violent). This game is an elite boomer shooter with witty writing, wonderful characters, and an affinity for the rubber-band style that's, sadly, been left behind by today's animation houses.

With a simple yet effective progression system, a power fantasy combat loop, and passionate attention to detail, Mouse P.I. For Hire is easily one of the best titles of 2026. It reminds me of just how much joy a single-player first-person shooter can bring when it fires on all cylinders.

It's hard to hit a home run with a debut title, but Fumi Games managed to knock it out the park with Mouse: P.I. For Hire. The perfect mix of slapstick rubber hose esthetics and dark humored action make for an enjoyable trip through the vast, corrupted town of Mouseburg. Minor bugs and glitches are the only mouldy spots on an almost perfect wheel of cheese, one that Fumi sometimes oversalts with "cheesy" one-liners and dialogue.

MOUSE: P.I. For Hire is un-brie-lievable. Somehow, the lofty ambition they presented in 2023 has been surpassed by an excellent release. This spunky noir shooter is exactly the kind of game I wanted, and it's so much fun to play I might just start it again. Don't sleep on MOUSE; this is a premium and ingenious game in an indie package.

A superbly crafted boomer shooter that stands out for its interesting artistic style and substantial playtime.

A slick, accomplished shooter that’s more than just an eye-grabbing art style.

Mouse: P.I. For Hire delivers a highly entertaining first person shooter that evokes the past in more ways than one. Its gameplay recalls classic FPS design, while its art direction and narrative transport players straight to the 1930s. Although it does not break new ground, it offers excellent value for money and stands as a strong debut from Fumi Games.

Mouse: P.I. For Hire is a first-person shooter that manages to transform extraordinary art direction into a solid and fun gaming experience. It has some (little) limitations, but it's a truly promising debut for Fumi Games.

Mouse is a motivating single-player shooter that breaks new ground in terms of visuals and sound.

Anyone who is into guns, crime fiction, and cheesy puns shouldn't miss Mouse: P.I. for Hire.

Mouse: P.I. For Hire is more than just its visuals, with fast paced gunplay and fantastic movement packed into a single player FPS package.

Mouse P.I. For Hire delivers exactly what it promises: direct, uninhibited action that is instantly accessible—and doubly enjoyable thanks to that blend of craftsmanship and humor that will have you bursting into laughter more than once.

Mouse: P.I. For Hire is one of those rare projects that manages to blend style and substance. It doesn’t just look good: it’s dynamic, varied, and consistently creative in its solutions. Despite a few minor uncertainties in weapon feedback and a structure that slightly struggles in its final stages, the title by Fumi Games shows a level of confidence usually found in far more experienced studios. It’s an experience that entertains, surprises, and above all, is sold at a budget price that almost feels like a steal considering its production values and content.

MOUSE: P.I. For Hire was worth the wait. The team at Fumi Games has matched their fantastic artwork with solid gameplay, great writing, and fantastic audio. Shooter fans are eating Gouda with this one… Ah, hell, I already used that one.

MOUSE: P.I. For Hire perfectly blends classic animation aesthetics with exhilarating shooter action. Despite limited post-game content, its highly satisfying gunplay and solid level design make it an irresistible experience.

As the game progressed, you unlocked new weapons. Despite having a variety of firearms, I found myself really sticking to 2-3 guns the whole game. The guns unlocked in later portions of the game felt more cumbersome than useful. I think of a game like Bioshock Infinite that shows you a little animation after you receive a new ability. This animation helps the player learn the extent of the abilities, and I think this would have been helpful for the equipment in Mouse. Despite their flaws mechanically, they look beautiful, and their names are fantastic. The Tommy gun in this world is a “James Gun”, come on, that’s just good old-fashioned comedy.

Mouse: P.I. For Hire is a stunning achievement that pairs its masterful rubber hose aesthetic with frantic, modern gunplay. While the detective mechanics lack depth and occasional technical crashes mar the experience, the charismatic noir atmosphere and satisfying combat loop deliver a refreshing shooter that transcends its visual gimmick.

MOUSE: P.I. for Hire turned out to be a fresh take on the shooter genre with adventure elements. Despite a number of rough edges, fans of detectives and cheese will not be disappointed.

Mouse P.I. For Hire is one enjoyable and visually stunning video game. While it stumbles like a drunk on Tuesday night when it comes to enemy variety; it more than makes up for it with a stellar voice cast, some fun combat and genuinely laugh-out-loud side quest missions. The game may be on the easy side but don’t let that dissuade you, this is one case worth taking on gumshoe.

The game’s style is somewhat reminiscent of Cuphead, but without the high difficulty level. The gameplay is simple, the soundtrack is atmospheric and jazzy, and it’s chock-full of puns and nods to old cartoons. The many secrets to discover by exploring every nook and cranny are reminiscent of classic video games, but fortunately, this entertaining indie game is above all its own unique and stylish, hand-drawn self.

Mouse: P.I. For Hire charms the player with its visuals inspired by 1930s cartoons and a charismatic noir narrative. However, the simple and repetitive gameplay prevents the game from reaching its full potential as an FPS.

Mouse: P.I. is an experience that wins you over more with personality than with technical ambition—a first-person shooter that stands out thanks to a striking artistic identity, mature noir writing, and a sound design that works in perfect harmony with its visuals and narrative. The solid, immediate gunplay supports the entire structure without overshadowing the atmosphere, while Troy Baker’s performance becomes the emotional glue of a dark and compelling journey, making the game something of a cult favorite for those who love classic cinema, jazz, and stories of detectives worn down by their own world.

Mouse: P.I. For Hire is a visual revelation that fuses the comic charm of 1930s cartoons with the chaos of a modern shooter. While enemy variety and detective gameplay could have used more depth, it ultimately remains an original experience full of heart and humor.

Part-chaotic retro shooter, part-stylish cartoon noir, Mouse P.I. for Hire goes beyond its stellar artistry to land an invigorating, imaginative hard-boiled romp.

Besides its delightful art style, brilliantly blending inspirations from Cuphead, early Mickey Mouse cartoons, and 1930s film noir, Mouse PI For Hire is from a gameplay standpoint a classic boomer shooter, but very effective and enjoyable to play. Even if its "detective" aspect is largely inconsequential, we generally enjoyed following this frenetic adventure as Troy Baker... Jack Pepper, despite a somewhat tedious final section that leaves a slightly underripe aftertaste for an overall appetizing cheese. Perhaps the upcoming DLC ​​will be the final clue to wrap up the investigation in style?

These moments, combined with the fascinating vintage visuals and music, make it easy to overlook the areas where Mouse wastes some potential. Sure, I'd have liked more meaningful investigative mechanics and fewer reskinned baddies, but I was often too busy tapping my toes to jazz tunes and laughing at the riotous cartoon antics to be too bummed about it.

Mouse: P.I. for Hire is a tremendous, modern take on the boomer shooter. It has wonderful level design and gives you the right tools to explore it without restriction, mostly. Despite serving up meaty cases that have enormous ramifications within Mouseburg’s social and political landscape, the player is given zero agency to work them and, as such, Mouse falls agonisingly short of being a true detective fantasy.

Mouse: P.I. for Hire’s combination of classic cartoon animation and hardboiled detective noir is original and expertly blended. Paired with familiar first-person shooter mechanics, it sounds high-concept, but the execution makes it feel perfectly natural. The combat mechanics, movement, and narrative are dialed in. The pacing is a little slow, especially in the first few hours, but Mouse: P.I. for Hire doesn’t take itself too seriously, and the overall energy and clever, fun concept carry it along.

While the great cartoon aesthetics are the obvious shining star, Mouse: P.I. For Hire is also a great first person shooter with impeccable level design. While the combat is solid and shows some good ideas, most fights are brought down by poor weapon balancing.

Mouse: P.I. For Hire is a game that exhibits a few minor imperfections—likely due to the developers' limited experience—yet these elements fail to detract from what is, overall, a truly unique experience that is enjoyable from both a gameplay and an aesthetic standpoint. Anyone who appreciates "boomer shooters" or the distinctive style adopted by Fumi Games should not let this title pass them by—especially given the budget-friendly price point at which it has been offered since launch.

Mouse P.I. For Hire is a solid shooter with a beautiful aesthetic and interesting story, but the combat can feel a little too generic. The expressive rubber hose animation works, wonders, and the great cast help bring the characters to life in this mystery thriller, but I found it difficult to stay interested for longer periods of time because it didn’t have that spark that other big shooters have. It’s still fun, and I had a good time, but it just didn’t do enough to keep me locked in for longer periods of time.

It may seem counterintuitive, but not all games live or die on gameplay. Experientially, games have evolved to be a diverse format, and often the most memorable elements are more esoteric than the raw mechanics. Rarely, however, is this the case for a shooter. But it is true for MOUSE: PI For Hire. A mechanically solid albeit mostly average FPS wrapped in a beautifully realised stylistic package with incredible commitment to the bit. MOUSE is a game that lives and dies on the charm in the art it evokes, and the references it is slavishly committed to. If you want to play a shooter that doesn’t take itself too seriously, you can do far worse.

There aren't many other games that pull off the same distinct art style as Mouse: P.I. For Hire. Cuphead is the only one that comes to mind, which makes it easy to fall for the game's presentational charms. There's rarely a frame that isn't bursting with style and creativity, and it's none too shabby as a retro-style shooter either. Mouse: P.I. might not reinvent the wheel, but its arsenal of weapons is punchy and delightfully varied, while the fluidity of movement makes for some thrilling, high-speed shootouts. In this instance, you should have no qualms about handing over money to the mouse.

While MOUSE may fall into some trappings of the first-person shooter genre, it escapes largely unscathed and with the cheese. It is easily one of the most unique first-person shooters to hit the market in years, and it's definitely the most charming of the lot. Fumi Games poured every ounce of ink, sweat, and stubborn dreams it had into MOUSE: P.I. For Hire, and it's clear the end result was worth the effort.

Mouse P.I. For Hire is one of the year's best indie surprises. Behind its spectacular 1930s rubber hose art style lies a shooter with genuine DOOM DNA. Combat is frantic, boss fights are smartly designed, and movement abilities like the grappling hook keep things fresh across its 12 to 20 hour campaign. The live jazz soundtrack is outstanding and the voice acting is excellent throughout. It could use more enemy variety in spots and the story entertains without fully hooking you, but the overall package is hard to beat.

Mouse: P.I. For Hire brings us a cohesive world with a unique, mouse-themed noir aesthetic, an engaging detective story, and straightforward but satisfying combat mechanics. Although the gameplay itself lacks a bit of depth, I had a blast playing it.

Mouse: P.I. for Hire manages to elevate itself beyond a simple artistic homage, and forge an identity of its own.

Set in a gritty noire story told through rubberhose animated-characters, Mouse: P.I. takes players into the seedy underbelly of Mouseberg, and while I often felt like more of a “Mouse Mercenary” than a P.I., the look and feel of the game had me hooked throughout the twisting and turning adventure.

Mouse: P.I. For Hire is a love letter to 1930s rubber-hose animation wrapped around a tight, fast-paced shooter. The art style is stunning, the gameplay loop is satisfying, and the world Fumi Games has built is full of charm and personality. It ends too soon and can get repetitive in spots, but if Cuphead scratched an itch you didn’t know you had, Mouse: P.I. For Hire is absolutely worth your time.

MOUSE: P.I. for Hire is absolutely gorgeous eye and ear candy, but falls short in execution.

The music, voiceovers, and bizarre weapons do a great job of masking the shortcomings of Mouse. Mouse P.I. For Hire won't be the game of the year, but in my opinion, it's the most stylish one.

Mouse: P.I. For Hire successfully brings its vision of combining the animation style of the 1930s with fast-paced shooter mechanics to life on screen. This adventure, which lasts about 15 hours, keeps players fully immersed with its satisfying combat, environmental design, and smooth technical performance. If you’re looking for pure, fast-paced, and intense action, this nostalgic world will more than satisfy you. However, if you’re expecting a deep detective experience worthy of the game’s name, complex character progression trees, or versatile progression systems, you’re likely to be somewhat disappointed. Despite all this, I believe it’s one of the most compelling and deserving titles of the year, thanks to its style, boldness, and the pure fun it offers.

Mouse: P.I. For Hire is an adrenaline-fueled and extremely fun boomer shooter. It stands out from the crowd thanks to its art style, but in terms of gameplay it doesn’t offer anything truly new. However, fans of the genre will love it.

Mouse: P.I. For Hire is a bombastic shooter with a charming cast and a gripping story. Sure, its gameplay is basically a carbon copy of Doom’s but with a 1930s rubber hose aesthetic. However, the execution is well done and it still has plenty of other aspects that differentiate itself. Jack isn’t going through Hell on Earth, but he’s determined to go to Hell and back to uncover the corrupt underbelly of Mouseburg.

Mouse P.I. is a game dripping with style. Excellent quality animation, sound design and voice work makes this a game that stands on its own, and I hope we see more from this detective in the future.

MOUSE: P.I. For Hire has a great, unique rubberhose aesthetic, which does a lot of heavy lifting for the game. The DOOM-like mechanics are solid, albeit they do very little to differentiate the game from others in the series, and the balance is toned down to the point where even a newcomer to the genre should have an easy time progressing on the hardest difficulty. It isn’t a bad game in the slightest, but it relies a little too much on its visual uniqueness and doesn’t impress me much mechanically.

Mouse: P.I. For Hire might not be the most subtle detective in the game, but he certainly has style, and sometimes that’s all it takes to make a difference.

Generic boomer shooter gunplay and a stretched-out runtime could be make this a cold case for some, but the incredible rubber hose aesthetic and entertaining noir setting should help see most detectives through to the end.

P.I. For Hire is an exhilarating, vibes-thick shooter shaped by the developer’s love for classic animation. Its sleek rubber hose animation and Steamboat Willie-inspired illustration makes it a stunner, and this is coupled with frenetic gun fights. Its noir tale, however, is reduced to basic tropes, and you won’t really be doing much investigation as a detective.

Mouse is an enjoyable and visually stunning shooter with just enough uncapitalized potential to make me mourn what could have been. It looks amazing, the music is spectacular, the voice acting is top-notch, and it feels great to play in the moment, but its unwillingness to put up even a semblance of challenge is its biggest downfall. I’d still very easily recommend it, but sticking it on the hardest difficulty is almost a requirement.

On paper, its target audience would seem to be tech-savvy 60-year-olds who worshipped Ub Iwerks on Usenet in 1994. The reality, though, isn’t that cynical.

Mouse: P.I. for Hire nails the aesthetics of both the 1930s cartoons and the detective stories that inspired it, and it’s also an amusing boomer shooter that largely feels good as you’re playing it. But its haphazard marriage of noir storytelling tropes and shooter gameplay are often at odds with each other in uncomfortable ways that weaken both aspects, and the writing is so busy making references to other things that it’s actually painful to sit through at times. This FPS is solid enough if you just want to blast some cartoon mice and not think about it too hard – but once you do, all you’ll see are the seams where disparate ideas have been fused together, and no trenchcoat can hide the stink of that moldy cheese.

Mouse: P.I. For Hire is beautiful and has a beautiful soundtrack. It's the rest that gives me pause.