Mouseberg is a chaotic city. Home to mobsters, cultists, and corrupt cops, private investigator Jack Pepper has a lot of trouble to deal with. What better way to solve it than with some good, old cartoon hyper-violence? If that sounds enticing, Mouse: P.I. For Hire provides unrealistic carnage in spades.
Familiar, Yet Refreshing
Mouse: P.I. For Hire doesn’t hide its inspirations. It relishes in its references and callbacks. The game combines the tropes of film noir, rubber hose animation, and first-person shooters to craft a roller coaster ride of a throwback.
Many of these references are in line with the game’s inspirations. For example, Pepper gains super strength after eating spinach, an obvious reference to Popeye. Fans of classic first-person shooters will find plenty to spot as well.
However, some references contain many deep cuts, plenty of which are easy to miss and are a welcome surprise. In particular, hearing a cultist say “Garmonbozia” caught me off guard. This is a reference to the creamed corn substance of the same name from the classic TV series Twin Peaks.
One could fault it for being too derivative, but the result is one of the most unique shooters in recent years. It’s fast, it’s goofy, and yet, Mouse: P.I. For Hire manages to be both immersive and cohesive. Its sense of joy is infectious, and every aspect of the game has been made with care.
Say Cheese!
Mouse: P.I. For Hire proves to be visually stunning without the need for cutting-edge graphics. The hand-drawn characters don’t look out of place with the 3D-rendered world. Every model is exaggerated to fit the cartoon aesthetic of the game. It practically begs the player to take screenshots.
The game is easy to run on most hardware. It’s even a smooth experience on Steam Deck. Although limiting the frame rate to 40 FPS makes for a more consistent experience. Do not expect a solid 60 FPS on weaker hardware.
The only blemish with the game’s presentation is the blatant invisible walls scattered throughout the environments. While it’s hardly as egregious as a game such as Black Myth: Wukong, it can be immersion-breaking nonetheless. Mouse: P.I. For Hire is otherwise a highly polished experience.
The cherry on top of all of this is a fun script with fantastic voice performances. Troy Baker is a joy to listen to with his often serious delivery of lines coming out of a cartoon mouse. Hearing Baker say “I live…. again!”, a line which many shooter fans will recognize from Blood, was a delight to my ears.
The Doom Mouse
Nailing the presentation is one thing, but making a game that is enjoyable to play is another. If one were to strip away the 1930s stylings of Mouse: PI For Hire, an incredibly competent shooter still lies underneath. That’s no small feat.
Players begin with a basic handgun, and for a brief time, the game is concerningly simple. The enemies initially present little threat and only take a few shots to take down. Accessing Pepper’s broader arsenal takes a while.
Fortunately, as the player progresses, the game’s combat introduces far more options. This not only comes in the form of new weapons but also new abilities. This gives the game a slight Metroidvania flavor, as movement options such as double jumping and gliding can be incorporated into traversal and combat.
Weapons provide enough variety to experiment with. However, there can be a notable lack of balance, which isn’t an inherent flaw. Using the Devarnisher’s secondary fire mode essentially transforms the weapon into a powerful grenade launcher with delightfully devastating effects.
Slapstick Shootouts
While the player does face a wide variety of opponents, it becomes apparent that many of these are reskins of pre-existing enemies. This leads to many firefights playing out in incredibly similar ways. However, the strong combat design is almost enough to mitigate this issue.
What’s much less repetitive are the boss fights. While they never present an overwhelming challenge, they do a good job of making the player change up their approach. Not every fight can be solved with guns alone.
Like many old-school shooters, players are incentivized to stay on the move. This approach to combat encounters lends itself well to Mouse: PI For Hire‘s cartoony world. Something would clearly be wrong if the gameplay weren’t over-the-top.
This frantic pacing is vital in keeping combat encounters from growing stale. No matter how many times I shoot down the same enemies, it never seems to get old. With one of the best kicks in a video game, Mouse: PI For Hire‘s combat stands among some of the greatest in the genre.
A Theme Park Ride Through Mouseberg
Despite the game’s lack of color, its levels couldn’t be more diverse. Locations include city streets, an opera house, a movie studio, and much more. Part of the joy of playing Mouse: P.I. For Hire is trying to anticipate where Pepper will go next.
Levels generally follow a linear path, but that’s not to say they aren’t designed without thought. Observant players are rewarded with numerous secrets, and side objectives provide more reason to comb through each area.
The black and white filter doesn’t hurt visibility. Environments are easily readable and contain identifiable landmarks. Every location doesn’t just feel like a set piece; it looks as though it could serve a functional purpose to the city of Mouseberg.
The game’s primary hub area is a welcome embrace after completing each level. Talking to NPCs and playing a baseball card mini-game makes for some much-needed downtime between violent shootouts. It reminded me of strolling the various hub areas found in the original Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines.
A Cheesy, Good Time
Mouse: P.I. For Hire goes above expectations and delivers one of the most thoroughly enjoyable shooters I have played in recent memory. Considering the price point, the game is a steal. Many full-price titles offer far less value than this.
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.
Disclaimer: PlaySide provided Final Weapon with a Steam copy of Mouse: PI For Hire for review purposes.
