Very occasionally, I encounter a game that feels like the developers had a remarkably clear vision for what they wanted their game to be and then proceeded to execute on that vision down to a T. No awkward, unrefined or mismatched mechanics or unfinished questlines where you can see obvious evidence of cut content. No garish or clashing art styles or poorly thought out concepts that leave you dissatisfied or scratching your head. Just a rock solid, airtight premise, with a unique, compelling story and thrilling gameplay presented to the audience with unwavering confidence. Mouse: P.I. For Hire exudes this undeniable spirit of a team that knew they were making something truly special and they fully delivered on everything across the board.
I remember seeing promotional artwork and early screenshots for Mouse a few years ago, and immediately having that "I need to play this NOW." feeling. The game has such a strong elevator pitch that I was truly already on board upon just seeing the concept art of rubber hose style mice dressed like they're in a 1930s noir movie. The irresistible art style is probably the most singularly notable thing about Mouse: P.I. For Hire. Rubber hose animation was essentially resurrected in the mainstream by the brilliant Moldenhauer family behind 2017's indie phenomenon Cuphead. While Mouse utilizes the same animation style as Cuphead, they look quite different; with Cuphead intentionally trying to look more like a classic Walt Disney film, while Mouse leans into its gloomy, moody, noir styling with an appropriate black-and-white, hardboiled film pastiche. Mouse has a dark, slightly mature edge to it, though the very nature of the game as a silly, rodent-themed satire of the detective genre lends a pleasant, lighthearted element to the world.
One of my very favorite qualities of Mouse is the great degree of worldbuilding that went into this universe. The trademark bouncy, lively style of rubber hose animation makes this whole world feel like its almost breathing, like it's teeming with life. They did such an outstanding job with environmental detail, that I found myself exploring everywhere that I could, trying to piece together more of the city's culture, history and lore. I loved slowly going through locations like the opera house or the film studio backlots and checking out the posters for upcoming plays or movies in this world. And as you blast your way through filthy streets, derelict apartments, and subway tunnels, you're constantly encountering signs of life, however bleak that life may be. You'll find makeshift beds and quarters set up even in the scuzziest, filthiest places, as Mouseburg's underclass struggles to survive. It's unclear if the world of Mouse: P.I. For Hire is also experiencing their own version of the Great Depression, but it seems like that's the case, just going off the crime, rampant homelessness and detritus littering the streets. No doubt a great deal of this decay is a result of the corrupt police force assaulting innocent citizens and dragging them from their homes. You can also find notes and newspapers scattered throughout the world, and these offer small tidbits of additional insight into the recent history of Mouseburg and the wider setting. On the note of collectibles, you can also find comic books, baseball cards and figurines tucked in the shadowy nooks and crannies of each level.
Just as with the brilliant world design of Mouse, the characters themselves are very well written and the voice acting for everyone is superb. Everyone is fairly archetypal, more or less fitting into character molds from old detective stories. You've got politicians, gangsters, starlets, socialites, police officers, and basically every sort of personality you'd expect to find in a story like this. While the characters can occasionally feel familiar (which isn't a bad thing), I was genuinely surprised at some of the twists and turns of the story. Your protagonist, Jack Pepper, is a private eye, and over the course of the game is approached about three distinct cases, which end up being connected in shocking ways. Like with any good detective fiction, Jack is quickly pulled into trouble that stretches much further than it initially seemed. I won't spoil any of the events of the story, but I think you'll be pleased with how compelling and surprising Jack's journey is by the end.
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Gameplay wise, Mouse: P.I. For Hire plays similarly to classic id Software FPS titles like Doom or Wolfenstein 3D. In this sub-genre of shooter, you're never aiming down your gun's sights, as there's an intentional focus on high-speed movement while firing from the hip. The vast majority of combat involves you entering into an arena where a couple dozen enemies pop up and swarm your location, and you're desperately evading their attacks, while trying to line up shots and manage your rapidly depleting ammo. If you're needing a breath from the frantic scurrying about, you can typically find small bits of cover that you can utilize to duck behind for a moment. Mouse does a wonderful job of forcing you to rotate through your arsenal of weapons. You can't really just pick one single gun and only use it, as you'll quickly run out of ammo. You'll quickly find that most guns have an ideal purpose, and to lean into those strengths will make the combat a smoother process for you. For instance, I found that the pistol was horrible in close range shootouts, but I could land long-range headshots with it fairly easily. The shotgun, which was one of my favorite weapons, was devastating in close-range combat, but became useless for taking down far off enemies.
One weapon, the Devarnisher, was easily the most utilitarian weapon in the entire game. This gun is like some hellish instrument from a sci-fi film. It fires globs of acid that quite literally melt the skin off of anything that it touches, and it can be useful in both close distance and at range to easily take out troublesome foes.
There's a workshop where you can upgrade each weapon, adding things like better handling or larger magazines. Most importantly, each gun has an unlockable "alternate fire" mode, where the gun can now be shot in a slightly different way. The Devarnisher, for instance, receives an extremely beneficial function where it fires an enormous ball of acid that will explode and coat multiple enemies in the corrosive substance. A well-placed shot from that can clear a small group of enemies in a single shot. A gun like the pistol, which fires only a single round at once, unlocks a sort of three-round burst function, which can be incredibly helpful. I enjoyed gaining access to Jack's surprisingly robust arsenal over the course of the game, and experimenting with each weapon, learning how each of them could potentially fit into my typical combat rotation.
Beyond combat, there is a great deal of exploration and platforming in Mouse. Most stages have sequences where you're operating in a more linear fashion, just going from Point A to B, and then you'll reach instances where you're cut loose and can run around and explore, looking for secret areas and rooms. Jack is constantly unlocking new methods for traversal, like a grappling hook or the ability to use his tail as a helicopter propeller and glide around. By the time you're in the later stages of the game, Jack plays quite differently from how he did at the beginning, as a result of all of these different abilities. This also helps the game consistently feel fresh as it progresses, as they mix these new traversal abilities into both combat and exploration.
By the time I saw Mouse: P.I. For Hire's credits, I was breathless. Breathless from the pulse-pounding, breakneck pace of the bloody, exhilarating combat. Breathless from the unpredictable revelations from the awesome story. And breathless from the ridiculously cool presentation of Mouse's world, through its wonderful art direction and fantastic, moody soundtrack. Mouse: P.I. For Hire is a masterclass in game design, and I'm here for whatever this team does next; which I genuinely hope is another Mouse game.
Review Copy was Provided
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