Everything we know about Mouse P.I. For Hire: The cartoon FPS reminiscent of BioShock

Mouse P.I. For Hire turns back the clock by bringing old school cartoons back to life in video game format. As you work to uncover a conspiracy that cloaks a corrupt world, expect to bring the firepower to this vintage adventure.

As the launch of this unique Mouse game draws closer, we’ve got a round-up of all the details on what players can expect from this world that’s expected to be equally as fun as it is challenging. 

Mouse: P.I. For Hire release date and platforms

The Mouse: P.I. For Hire release date is March 19, 2026. It’s a first-person boomer shooter, where you step into the shoes of a private detective to solve cases as you unleash non-stop mayhem on any foe that’s foolish enough to cross your path. It’s noir-inspired, fast-paced, and the Metroidvania-style level traversal is teeming with personality through its cartoon twists.

As for where you can play the game, the Mouse: P.I. For Hire platforms at launch are PC, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PS5, PS4, and the Nintendo Switch. There has been no announcement on whether or not Mouse: P.I. For Hire will be on Xbox Game Pass at the time of writing.

Mouse: P.I. For Hire art style

Even though environments are rendered in 3D, every single aspect of the Mouse: P.I. For Hire game is hand-drawn in 2D and then animated in the style of rubber hose animation. The way everything in the world continues to move, including weapons that appear stretchy and fluid and objects that dance in place, is reminiscent of that distinctive cartoon art style that was prominent in the 1930s. 

What’s more, the entirety of Mouse: P.I. For Hire is in black and white, just as you’d expect from these old cartoons. Instead of using color to guide players, this is done through light and black outlines on items you can interact with.

To complete the package, the audio in Mouse: P.I. For Hire sounds like the cartoons the game is influenced by, but there are also customizable audio filters within the settings menu. These include audio that resembles 1930s and 1940s vinyl records, degradation, or you can continue with the original crisp sound alongside the jazz soundtrack.

Diving into the world and weaponry of Mouse P.I. For Hire

Mouse: P.I. For Hire takes place in Mouseburg, where most of the population is made up of mice, but there are also shrews and rats. Play as the protagonist Jack Pepper (voiced by Troy Baker), a private investigator, tasked with solving three different cases: Missing Magician, Shrew Shortage, and Blue Betty. 

You travel in your car via an overworld map to the next destination your case takes you. In total, there are over ten biomes in the game, with every biome consisting of one to four levels. Every location is inspired by noir cartoons from the era it is set in, blending a comedic, wacky tone with more serious elements throughout. 

You will find clues in the form of notes, items, and be able to snap pictures with your camera, all of which can be placed on your corkboard and connected to progress the mission, open up NPC dialogue, and eventually solve the case. The Hub is home to Jack’s office, where you will connect the dots between your evidence, but there’s also the Little Big pub run by Jack’s friend, and Tammy’s workshop. 

In the pub, you will encounter three different Mouse: P.I. For Hire characters that offer their own mini games, one of which is a collectible baseball card game. Collect cards throughout the world and build your own deck to compete to win additional clues, parts for upgrades, and more. At Tammy’s workshop, expect to be able to make upgrades to your weapons. 

One of the early game levels is known as Streets, where you will find chaos, destruction, and shrews being beaten and kidnapped by the police. Here, you must fight your way through waves of enemies and into the police station to discover what is happening to the residents in Mouse: P.I. For Hire.

Expect melee enemies, ranged enemies, and tank enemies, but some will have modifiers with the purpose of keeping combat fresh. There will also be bosses to fight that have unique abilities, and you will have to defeat them in different ways. One such boss shown off so far is known as the Third Wife, a ghostly figure that you spook with your flashlight before shooting. 

The Mouse: P.I. For Hire weapons revealed so far are a pistol, shotgun, a Tommy gun, a freeze gun, a cartoon cannon for shooting big and smaller projectiles, and even a conscious gun that has a brain attached to it. Every gun is designed to feel like it does a lot of damage, and as previously mentioned, can be upgraded through a progression path for each weapon. Other layers to combat include explosive barrels that you can shoot to blow up nearby enemies, as well as taking advantage of wall running, double jumping, and grapple hooks to navigate areas. 

Is Mouse P.I. For Hire like BioShock?

Not only does the Mouse: P.I. For Hire game draw upon classic cartoons, but as a shooter, there are similarities with the likes of BioShock and Doom. Of course, there’s the traditional first-person shooter gunplay, with experimental weapons and power-ups, but both games offer exploration across levels that are set in atmospheric worlds full of mystery and corruption. The way Mouse: P.I. For Hire and BioShock deliver this almost pits the world of both games as a character, enhancing the story and gritty tone. The protagonist in both games is even called Jack, but surely that’s purely coincidental. 

Apart from the contrasting art styles, Mouse: P.I. For Hire mainly differs from the survival and RPG aspects of BioShock because it borrows genre elements from boomer shooters and has comedy intertwined with the detective action.