All of the beautiful people reading this preview probably don’t know this, but apparently looks aren’t everything. I tend to think this is true when it comes to video games, with plenty of my favourites not blowing me away visually. That doesn’t mean that the looks of a game don’t matter though, and a unique style especially can really elevate an experience. I always think back to Cuphead for this, because let’s face it there are few that can really compare to its unique aesthetic. The upcoming MOUSE: P.I. For Hire has similar retro cartoon visuals, albeit with more of a noir twist.
I’ve been excited for MOUSE: P.I. For Hire for years at this point, as a fan of both single player FPS games and early cartoons. In this preview of the game I finally got to play as Jack Pepper, who was off to explore a base full of cultists as part of a missing persons case. Jack is the perfect noir protagonist, full of quips and gritty comments. The other noodle-armed animals that need his help are full of charm too, and the voice acting throughout is impeccable. I can’t wait to meet more of them deeper into the game, as I solve some mysteries and shoot some villains.
The main concern I had going into MOUSE: P.I. For Hire was how the gunplay would feel. There’s nothing worse than an FPS with weapons that feel puny, and thankfully your cartoon arsenal is anything but. Starting with a pistol, shotgun and Tommy gun I was gleefully blowing away enemies, switching regularly to conserve ammo in classic boomer shooter fashion. Later on in the stage I played I even got to try out a new gun, which melted enemies entirely with blobs of acid and was less horrifying than it sounds.
MOUSE: P.I. For Hire has a very old school structure, with rooms that lock behind you and then flood with gorgeously animated enemies. To stay healthy you’ll need to move around quickly, which is at least easy thanks to your various movement abilities. At this early point in the game I could double jump and burst forward with my dash ability, as long as I had the stamina to do so anyway. This locomotion feels great, whether you’re weaving around foes or navigating the environment. Between arenas there’s plenty of exploring to do too, with switches you’ll need to press to proceed and a selection of hidden areas hiding currency and collectibles.
More than anything else in this preview build, I was impressed with the boss fights of MOUSE: P.I. For Hire. There were three in total, which were obviously all robotic mouse versions of Bette Davis. These encounters involved dodging various attacks, like spinning death lasers and plasma rays. I had to use the environment to hide away from massively damaging offense, and then rush to blast some shells when an opening appeared. The bosses were just a wonderful change of pace, and managed to feel unique despite being very similar in form.
In this short portion of the game there was much more than just shooting shown. Safes can be opened using your tail as a lock pick, which starts a minigame where that’s sort of a combination between Snake and a tile puzzle. After the stage ended I was able to explore the world map too, where I drove my car from a top down perspective across the smokey city. It was admittedly mainly closed off here, but I’m excited to see how that changes as the game progresses.
The final section of the preview took place back at the office, where I had to pin my clues to a corkboard and could talk to some important mouse characters. There was also a dame who had a fun upgrade store, which will unlock alt fires and stat boosts to your weapons in the full game. I was so excited to jump into the next mission with my upgrades after I finished checking out the local area, but unfortunately that was all she wrote for this preview.
After around an hour with Jack Pepper I’m almost certain I’ll love the full MOUSE: P.I. For Hire experience. The gunplay feels great, the exploration was enjoyable, and most importantly the noir cartoon vibes are impeccable. I’m no longer worried about this long awaited game living up to the hype, I’m just upset I have to wait another month to keep playing it.
MOUSE: P.I. For Hire is coming to PC (Steam), Switch 2, PS5, and Xbox on April 16th.
