PlaySide Publishing and developer Fumi Games have dropped a brand-new trailer for MOUSE: P.I. For Hire, and it puts the spotlight on the game’s voice cast while offering another punchy look at its stylish world.
MOUSE: P.I. For Hire is a gritty, noir-inspired first-person shooter that blends hardboiled detective drama with the unmistakable charm of 1930s-era cartoons. Everything from its monochrome visuals to its hand-drawn rubber hose animation look is built to echo that classic era, and the retro jazz soundtrack aims for the same time-capsule authenticity. The result is a game that feels like an old cartoon brought to life—except it’s loaded with tommy guns, corruption, and danger around every corner.
You step into the role of Private Investigator Jack Pepper, a former war hero turned detective, working a case that starts like a familiar “damsel in distress” setup and then quickly unravels into something much darker. Mouseburg, the corrupt city at the heart of the story, is crawling with crooks, mobs, and heavily armed gangs. As Pepper digs deeper, the mystery escalates into a tangled conspiracy involving murder, political rot, and enemies that aren’t what they seem.
Gameplay leans into creative combat and flexible playstyles, giving you room to experiment as you push through non-linear maps. Power-ups and upgrades can be mixed with over-the-top weapons to smash, slash, stomp, and blast your way through enemies in ways that are both violent and strangely comedic. Want to beef up melee combat? There’s a Spike-D Spinach power-up. Need more mobility? Use a Helicopter upgrade to extend aerial traversal. Prefer fast vertical movement? A Grappling Hook lets you latch on and zip across platforms using your mouse tail.
Weapons are designed to match the game’s unique blend of noir grit and cartoon chaos. Expect classic firearms with a twisted edge, from crackling tommy guns to explosive firepower built for big fights, messy showdowns, and boss battles that end with comically dramatic demises. Enemy behavior and the game’s distinctive health display further reinforce the vintage cartoon vibe, adding a playful twist to traditional FPS pacing.
Mouseburg itself is meant to be more than a backdrop. The game promises a variety of locations to explore, including shadowy city streets, a noir film studio, casinos, a marina port and dock district, underground sewers, and even swampy marshlands. Along the way, you’ll be hunting for collectibles and clues, taking on mini-games, and pushing through alleys and districts that make the city feel like a dangerous playground with secrets hidden under the surface.
MOUSE: P.I. For Hire is set to launch on April 16 for Windows PC, Xbox Series X|S, and PlayStation 5. Versions for Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PlayStation 4 are planned to arrive at a later date.
