Mouse: P.I. For Hire Review (PC, PS5 [Reviewed], Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch 2)
Developer: Fumi Games
Publisher: PlaySide Studios
Released: April 16, 2026
ESRB: T – Teen

I didn’t know I needed a game about a mouse detective solving noir crimes in a black and white 1930s cartoon world until I played Mouse P.I. For Hire. It kinda sounds stupid, but it’s actually a great game and game idea.

Mouse P.I. For Hire is what I’d call a gamer’s game. You can feel it from the first level. The people who made this love video games, and more importantly they set out to make something fun instead of chasing whatever trend the gaming press is falling over itself to celebrate this month. No live service hooks. No battle pass. No statement to make. Just a developer saying “what if we made a really cool game?” and then doing exactly that.

The presentation alone earns major points. The black and white 1930s cartoon aesthetic is flat out gorgeous. It looks like someone took a Fleischer Studios short and turned it into a playable action game, and the whole thing holds together beautifully from start to finish. The art direction is consistent, inventive, and honestly a little jaw dropping at times. These visuals don’t feel like a gimmick. They feel like the only right choice for this game.

The story leans hard into noir, and it works. It’s got genuine wit to it. I laughed out loud a few times, which isn’t something I say lightly about a video game. The writing knows exactly what it is and plays it perfectly. It’s not trying to subvert the genre or wink too hard at the camera. It just commits to the bit and nails it.

Gameplay is arena style shooting, and it keeps things breezy and fun. The levels are well designed, and there are enough collectibles scattered around to reward players who want to go off the beaten path without making exploration feel like a chore. If you do get turned around, pressing down on the d-pad sends a little broom to point you in the right direction, which is a charming solution to a problem a lot of games handle badly. The boss battles are a highlight. Several of them are legitimately great, the kind of encounters you replay in your head afterward.

The world map deserves a special mention. Driving your little car between locations is such a small thing, but it gives the game a sense of place and personality that a lot of bigger budget titles never manage. It makes the world feel like a world instead of just a menu.

Now, the complaints, because there are a couple. The gunplay lacks feedback. When you land a shot, there’s no satisfying punch to it, no visual or audio confirmation that really sells the impact. It’s not a dealbreaker, but it keeps the shooting from having the snap it could have had. The bigger frustration is the lack of mission replay. Once you’ve finished a level, the only way back is loading an old save or starting a new game entirely. There are some fantastic levels and boss fights in here that I would love to revisit with my fully upgraded loadout, and the ability to replay missions would have elevated this game considerably.

Still. For what Mouse P.I. For Hire is and what it costs, I had a genuinely great time with it. It feels like something out of the PS3 era, and I mean that as a compliment. Back when single player games that were eight to twelve hours long were a completely normal and acceptable thing to release. When the goal was to make something fun and memorable, not to build a platform that keeps your wallet bleeding for the next three years.

I’ve missed this kind of game. Mouse P.I. For Hire is a reminder that they still exist if you know where to look.

Mouse P.I. For Hire gets a four out of five: COMMENDABLE.

TITAN’S DECREE:

If you enjoy this one, you might also like to check out my review of Dragonkin: The Banished or Starfield, both also newish releases on PS5, PC and Xbox Seres. Or click here to check out more game reviews. If you’re in the mood to find a movie to watch, you might be interested in our just launched Ultimate Audrey Hepburn Rewatch review serieshub.

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