MOUSE: P.I. For Hire Reviews
I don’t know whether this is good or bad, but as someone who usually isn’t a fan of shooters, Mouse: P.I. for Hire is one of the best shooters I’ve played so far—maybe even the best. It’s actually a bit of a shame that going for 100% completion isn’t very appealing, and that resources spawn far too excessively on normal difficulty. I’d also say the game feels a little too long. But aside from that, almost everything about it feels close to perfect for me. The cartoony black-and-white art style, which still doesn’t try to be child-friendly, adds a tremendous amount to the experience. The fact that I even enjoy the gunplay here is still surprising. The great story and small side activities also round things off nicely.
Review in German | Read full review
Whilst the constant cheese puns and fourth wall trope-busting may grate after a fashion, there's a lot to enjoy in Mouse: P.I. For Hire. The old school shooting, with even older visual style, brings back nostalgia and challenge in one hit. Whilst more shooter than detective caper, it's still a gouda time.
Fun, stylish, and bursting with visual personality, Mouse: P.I. For Hire turns Mouseburg into a detective adventure packed with gunfights, clues, and pure animated charm.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Although this is a game you don’t come across often, we believe it will go largely unnoticed by mainstream audiences. Still, Mouse: P.I. is not something you should miss, especially given how dry the FPS genre has been in terms of truly unique titles lately - but veterans of the genre may find a few disappointments along the way.
Review in Unknown | Read full review
MOUSE: P.I. For Hire is truly a gem. Whether you are a fan of Disney-style cartoons or shooters, the title from Fumi Games simply has plenty to offer.
Review in Slovak | Read full review
I've been following the development of Mouse: P.I. For Hire since its announcement. After Cuphead's success in emulating the rubber-hose feeling, many games tried to replicate the formula and failed miserably (like the aforementioned Bad Cheese and the embarrassing clone Enchanted Portals). Mouse, on the other hand, strives and succeeds strongly in delivering a game that not only pays tribute but forges its own identity. An interesting and highly immersive universe, charismatic characters, a hail of bullets between the sword of justice and villainous scoundrels, and copious (or should I say gnawing?) doses of humor and cheese already make this one of my favorite titles of 2026.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Ultimately, the superb aesthetic achievements of Mouse P.I. For Hire are undermined by its overly familiar, uninspired gameplay choices. Relative newcomers to retro-style shooters are likely to get more from it than the jaded veterans among us, who have seen every gameplay element done to a higher standard many times before. At its best though, Mouse P.I. For Hire is a stunning-looking playable cartoon – and while it could have been so much more, that is enough.
An unusual development journey like this which could be followed so actively online is unlikely to be repeated anytime soon. All the more reason to be pleased that the end result is such a fun and varied game that not only brings beautiful visuals but also delivers compelling gameplay. Mouse: P.I. for Hire is a more than competent shooter that offers much more thanks to its many ideas and mechanics. I would have liked a bit more player initiative in the investigations and I would absolutely love the ability to revisit previously completed levels to uncover all the secrets or even complete side quests retroactively. But besides that it's another indie banger for 2026.
Review in German | Read full review
Mouse: P.I. For Hire is a game that almost entirely succeeds in its mission, paying homage to the past without needing to invent (or reinvent) anything. It’s neither the most intense nor the most profound boomer shooter, but it’s certainly one of the most distinctive and captivating titles of recent years, shining more for its style, atmosphere, and writing than for its gunplay. If you’re looking for a title that combines the flavor of old-school comics with the charm of crime noir, then you can’t miss this little gem from Fumi Games.
Review in Italian | Read full review
I hoped MOUSE: P.I. For Hire would be a good game, but I wasn’t prepared for what the game actually delivers. From a heavy, depth-filled narrative to sharp, butter-smooth gameplay mechanics, this hit on all the right points. Yes, it’s a little too long, and I did get lost in a few instances, but this is forgivable when you consider everything the game gets right. There’s much more to discover that I haven’t touched upon, and I really hope you will jump in to find those out, because this is one you don’t want to miss out on.
There’s a lot to like about Mouse P.I., from it’s excellent visuals and animation to the simply act of exploring and shooting. Cuphead is a clear inspiration in certain aspects, and though this is a different genre, it will likely still appeal if you enjoyed that game. It is a great game for console and handheld should you have one as well.
Mouse: P.I. For Hire was a really enjoyable, albeit drawn-out, experience that sadly suffers from horrendous performance issues on the Nintendo Switch 2. I loved the art, loved the story, and the action held up for the most part throughout. You might not get as much out of it though if you don’t have a love for the noir genre, or you want something more akin to its tighter “boomer shooter” peers. When Mouse: P.I. For Hire wandered into my office, I knew I was in trouble. The look, the action, it was all there. Hiccups aside, this is one case I was glad I took on, and here’s looking at you kid for the future. All I can say is “Forget it Jack, It’s Mouseberg”.
Though it has grabbed the attention of the masses through the usage of the ‘rubberhose’ artstyle, Mouse: P.I. for Hire strives most by knowing what it takes to be a good game within the boomer shooter genre. Although very flawed, it would be a game that succeeds regardless of the artstyle it used
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.
Within the current landscape, and without needing to boast, it ends up positioning itself as one of the most pleasant surprises of 2026, especially for those who value proposals with identity and a more contained approach.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
MOUSE P.I. For Hire is a rare case of a game with insanely-lofty ambitions that manages to live up to the hype. For Fumi Games to knock it out of the park from their inaugural title is miraculous. But I couldn’t get enough of my time in Mouseburg, giving the villains what-for and deducing a crime the old-fashioned way. Here’s hoping this isn’t the last we’ve seen of Jack Pepper.
Mouse: P.I. For Hire takes its sweet time to get moving but stick with it and you’ll uncover an imaginative, visually-striking throwback shooter.
MOUSE P.I. for Hire is a true work of love that mixes a great art style with a very good soundtrack and gameplay, making it not just one of the most unique FPSs I’ve ever played, but one of the most unique games I’ve ever seen as well.
Mouse: P.I. for Hire is a hilarious parody of movies and cartoons, featuring references to classic films and TV shows while commenting on some of the worst moments in U.S. history. Defying expectations of what one might expect from detective games or movies, it turns out to be a fun boomer shooter that manages to bring the comedic side of cartoons to a genre typically marked by a more violent tone, creating a thoroughly entertaining combination, despite some stumbles in its weapon balancing, enemy variety, and pacing of the story.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Mouse P.I. for Hire delivers a great narrative coupled with good gameplay and an impeccable setting. There are a few minor flaws that could still be fixed, but it's the kind of game that will hold your attention from beginning to end without exaggeration or cheap tricks.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review