If you had told me a handful of years ago that a game inspired by the early Mickey Mouse cartoons would be something that I would thoroughly enjoy, I would have called you crazy. Not that I have anything against cartoons in general, but their childish nature isn’t what I tend to look for in my video games. Instead, I generally lean towards the dark, gritty, and more mature tones throughout my experiences with this medium.
This type of thinking was put to rest when Mouse: P.I. For Hire was initially revealed, showcasing a world with a film noir style, boomer shooter action, and over-the-top animations that looked strictly designed to give the player a good laugh. It looked fantastic from the onset, and I knew that I had to give it a try when the time came.
I had a good feeling about Mouse: P.I. For Hire going into it, and after completing its 10-hour story, I am even more confident that it’s a rare gem that we typically don’t see enough of in modern gaming.
It’s a reminder of why so many people drift to gaming in the first place, and the sole reason is to simply have a good time. Mouse: P.I. For Hire is fun, funny, and an exciting distraction from the current sentiment that all games have to be huge, graphically impressive, and the next big thing.
Jack Pepper On The Case
Mouse: P.I. For Hire follows Jack Pepper, voiced by the phenomenal Troy Baker, who is a private investigator taking on a case in the fictional town of Mouseburg. Usually, private investigation work tends to be minor compared to actual detective work, but that is not the case here. What starts out as a simple investigation slowly spirals into a major case filled with corruption.
The game’s story touches on a lot of disturbing real-world problems, and it does it in an organic, yet funny, way. There are plot points that touch on human trafficking, government issues, murder, corruption within the film industry, and more, all while continuously attempting to get a laugh out of the player. And that is what I respect so much about the story in Mouse: P.I. For Hire, as it doesn’t take itself too seriously, while still tackling serious issues.
It’s also just written and voice-acted very well, even better than some heavy hitters out there. Seriously, Mouse: P.I. For Hire has some of the best voice work I have seen in quite some time, where each character has a unique personality that shines through the screen.
The game’s story touches on a lot of disturbing real-world problems, and it does it in an organic, yet funny, way.
I tend to get bored with dialogue-heavy games, but I never found myself skipping any here due to its talented voice cast, which includes Troy Baker, Florian Clare, and Camryn Grimes, to name a few.
All its voice work and script are focused on the noir style of the game, too, which I can imagine is not something easy to pull off. Classic lines like “She walked in like trouble, and I knew I’d be paying for it” or “His story had more holes than a bullet-riddled alibi” are at the forefront of the dialogue in Mouse: P.I. For Hire, making it feel as if you’re watching a movie from the 1940s. I loved every minute of it.
The game offers a decent amount of side content that compliments the main story. Throughout the story of Mouse: P.I. For Hire, you can expect to meet many different citizens of the town of Mouseburg, each with their own agendas and problems.
These characters offer side quests, which the game refers to as “Side Jobs,” that offer unique stories different from the main one. While not all of these side stories are interesting, most of them do a great job at making Mouseburg feel more like a real place.
DOOM Junior
The best way to describe the gameplay of Mouse: P.I. For Hire is that it feels like a slower version of the modern DOOM games. It follows the same principles as DOOM, where you are constantly put up against waves of enemies, you have to focus on spatial awareness, picking up items for ammo and health, dodging to get out of harm’s way, etc.
Mouse: P.I. For Hire never reaches the heights of DOOM when it comes to intense moment-to-moment gameplay where you are constantly on the brink of death, since it’s a bit slower overall, but it still feels great regardless.
For reference, I played on the standard difficulty, and I only died a handful of times throughout my entire playthrough. Those deaths rarely stemmed from actual combat encounters and instead came from gimmick platform sequences.
Luckily, if you are a player looking for a more intense experience, the game does offer a hard difficulty. While I didn’t play much on the harder difficulty, I did give it a try and can confirm that it feels even closer to DOOM, such as harder to kill enemies, more enemies overall that demand you to move around the arena quicker, fewer items to pick up, etc. Still, it’s not extremely challenging.
Even though most of my experience was struggle-free and didn’t result in the game-over screen much, I still thoroughly enjoyed everything that Mouse P.I. For Hire has to offer in terms of gameplay.
Each weapon you acquire feels vastly different to use, all enemies have their own gimmicks that force you to adjust your approach, and the abilities you earn throughout a playthrough continuously add layers to the overall feel of the gameplay.
While the general gameplay itself remains mostly constant throughout, it never feels repetitive due to the variety in weapons, enemies, bosses, level design, and abilities.
A major standout in Mouse: P.I. For Hire is the bosses that you’ll encounter. No boss feels the same, with the exception of a couple of recurring bosses, and each has its own set of rules that the player must follow in order to find success.
One boss may require the player to use explosives, another may force the player to use a grapple hook to avoid taking damage, and there’s even one that makes the player survive a deadly magic trick.
This Mouse Has Been Places
I really respect the level design in Mouse: P.I. For Hire, since none of them feel or look the same, despite the black and white filter. One level may have a strong focus on platforming, while another might take place entirely underwater, keeping the element of surprise at the forefront. You simply never know what to expect with the levels in this game.
A prime example is when I reached a level that had me playing a series of minigames at a carnival to earn tickets in order to progress. This is a perfect example of “not knowing what to expect” with these levels, as this was something completely out of left field.
Just when I thought that was unique and as far as the game would go, the game then puts you in the wild west later on, and even up against paranormal entities in a ghost town.
The levels are broken down into missions, where players will travel to various locations through the use of a car on a world map. Each location acts as its own mission with a main objective, and as players progress through the game, more locations unlock that players can visit.
While gameplay is king in these types of games, there’s no denying that good level design can make or break the experience. The fact that each level is entirely unique in Mouse: P.I. For Hire, and that each is clearly crafted with care, just goes to show the amount of work that was put into this game. I applaud the developers, especially since the game is hand-drawn.
Mouse: P.I. For Hire is all about keeping your adventure fresh. While the general gameplay itself remains mostly constant throughout, it never feels repetitive due to the variety in weapons, enemies, bosses, level design, and abilities. The game was clearly designed to keep the player hooked with the element of surprise, and it does a phenomenal job at it.
I have played tons of games already in 2026, and honestly, Mouse: P.I. For Hire has been one of my favorites when it comes to pure enjoyment. It’s not a flawless game by any means, having some uninteresting side quests and a low level of challenge on standard difficulty, but it does what it set out to do, and that’s to create a fun time for the player.
You will laugh at its ridiculousness and corny jokes, have a blast with its bombastic gunplay, and be deeply invested in its surprisingly deep story that highlights emotional real-world problems with comedic relief. If that doesn’t convince you, then maybe its highly addicting lockpicking minigame will.
I will miss my time in Mouseburg and the hilarious characters I met during my stay there, but it’s about time that this detective signs off. As Jack Pepper or any other mysterious noir character would say, “I’ve got what I came for. The rest is your problem.”
Mouse: P.I. For Hire is an awesome first-person shooter that will keep you hooked from beginning to end due to its fun combat, engaging story, and hilarious banter between characters. What Fumi Games crafted here is impressive due to its level design that constantly surprises throughout its 10-hour runtime, bosses that each offer a different type of challenge, and a script that is very well written with a noir tone at its center. This game is a joy to play, and I can’t wait to see what these developers do next.
The Good
- Great combat
- Each weapon feels unique
- Great level variety
- A mystery story that is interesting to follow
The Bad
- Some side quests feel pointless
- The weapon upgrade skill tree isn't very deep
- Too easy at times
