Ever thought boomer shooters couldn’t be cute and brutal at the same time? Mouse: P.I. for Hire just flipped that idea on its head. Revealed at Summer Game Fest, this game drops you into a hand-drawn, 1930s film noir world—armed with Tommy guns, spinach cans, and a serious attitude.
You play Jack Pepper, a battle-worn mouse-turned-PI voiced by Troy Baker (aka Joel from The Last of Us). He starts out on a simple case, but quickly uncovers a web of political corruption, gang wars, and murder in Mouseburg’s smoky streets.
The art direction is wild. Think rubber hose animation straight out of Steamboat Willie—but gritty and monochrome. Even though it looks like a vintage cartoon, the feel is heavy: hand-drawn visuals that pop, with explosion effects that burst with style, and jazz tunes that sound straight out of a smoky speakeasy.
Gameplay mixes a first-person shooter with metroidvania-style exploration. You’ll battle enemies with a mix of traditional weapons like guns and dynamite, alongside cartoonish tools like spinach cans and booze bottles. Add in mini-games and detective-style clues, and this isn’t just run-and-gun—it might even make you think.
It’s already one of the most wishlisted games on Steam and coming to PC (Steam), PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, and even Nintendo Switch 2.
There are still big questions: how heavy is the noir story? How deep is the detective gear? Can the gameplay stay fun and twitchy? But between the unique art, Troy Baker’s voice, and a world that looks like a cartoon you’d stumble into as a kid—this one already has punch.
Stay tuned if you like your FPS with a side of jazz, grit, and talking mice.
Edited by
Kevin Fernandes