One of the most impressive things I found about Mouse P.I is how beautiful it looks in 4K in Black and White.

The lack of colour doesn’t take anything away from this game in motion. In fact, it adds to it. Because not only does this feel like a distinct, one of a kind, never seen first person shooter, it also feels timeless and is a game we’ll easily be admiring and coming back to in 5 years time.

And that’s just the strangest thing, considering the target audience for a 1930s rubberhose Steamboat Willie esque animation is a group of people who…in reality…will probably never play it. It’s certainly not going to be for your average Fortnite or Apex Legends player. At least, so it seems.

The best way to describe Mouse P.I is akin to a boomer shooter. You’ll be familiar with them through the likes of the recent DOOM trilogy, as well as more recent takes on games like Shadow Warrior. The idea is you fight your way through a room of enemies before you can progress through to the next.

The slight difference in Mouse P.I is that there’s also puzzles to solve, safes to crack, people to talk to, and eventually leads to link up. Even Baseball card games to play!

And you’ll also get some wild, unexpected abilities like a tail that lets you float over updrafts to reach higher platforms. And guns that act in remarkable ways, like a Devarnisher that, essentially, melts mice!

The thing that truly stands out to me is how these mice are animated, though. From their gruff, exterior expressions with clenched jaws and squinted eyes. To their softened, helpless eyes looking up at you from disintegrated ash if you set them alight and burned them to nothing.

Frankly, if Mouse P.I was a game with colour, it would be a very graphic one! The amount of shooting, of blood and guts and decapitations and literally melting the fur off their skeletons…you catch my drift. And the black and white aesthetic more than gets that point across and allows your imagination to do the rest of the work.

Yet, the thing that might surprise players most of all is how smooth it feels. From darting seamlessly between enemies, to jumping between platforms, to the feel of the weapons, Fumi Games just nailed it. In a way that some major AAA shooters can actually learn from.

The moment to moment movement is really beautifully done. Though there are times when you get heaped on by groups and can find it a little hard to break free. A little like the vintage DOOM games, actually, when they get you stuck in a corner and just tear into you relentlessly. But that also sort of adds to that 90s feel the game gives off.

It’s a bit of an oxymoron really. Because this is a 2026 game, that is following examples of recent modern shooters, but it’s also very much vibing in throwback 90s territory for those classic, OG shooters you used to love, all while sporting an outdated 30s art style that is sending love signals to Cuphead fans.

That’s what I love about Mouse P.I, it’s not following a crowd necessarily, but it’s carving its own path, presenting a distinct identity that is both stubborn and stupendous all at once, and grounding it in classic, hard-boiled, vintage detective style with silly puns and cheesy humor. Lots of cheese!

There’s cool bosses, surprises in each level, fun characters to meet and a good arsenal of weapons to choose from that keep the action dynamic and fresh with a decent enemy variety.

And between levels, you’ll find yourself heading into the town of Mouseburg where you can purchase more ammo, and find purchasable collectibles in addition to those scattered in the levels, in the form of newspaper clippings, comic strips and the aforementioned Baseball Cards.

All leading to one of the strangest, most unusual, yet surprisingly compelling sub-card games I’ve seen in a minute where basically you’re switching between a pitcher and a batter on a Baseball diamond with the aim of scoring a home run by getting a higher scoring card than the card pitching the ball to you. It takes a while to get used to and has you set up to fail in the early going with low value cards. But as your collection grows, so you’ll find it’s a lot easier to play and quite enjoyable too.

And while I find the detective elements of the game are a little underwhelming – the clues essentially self-solve themselves once they’re found and placed on the corkboard, the game’s scene variety, plot, and action really do a good job of keeping the game interesting, even if it does flatten a bit towards the second half.

Mouse P.I For Hire is a really great video game! Minor glitches aside, like gradually sliding backwards when coming out of dialogues and soft-locking in levels which can force a restart, this is a really strong debut from Fumi Games, with a solid, core brand identity that feels as timeless as it is compelling. And raises a smile as you go!

I cannot wait to see what the team do with the DLC, how they’ll move the story forward and if we’ll get even more detective based action. I need to study some more crime scenes, and point fingers at suspects … while also peppering them with a James Gun, of course!

Verdict

Mouse P.I For Hire is such a wonderfully designed piece of art. From the standout visuals, to the quality of movement, to the variety in action and the authenticity of its inspirations. The plot, the characters, world-building, dialogue, and voice acting, even the game’s wonderful soundtrack. Everything fits together to complete something really special. Some monotony late on and bugs do drive the game down a little bit, but this is one history will look back on very fondly and it will remain timeless and appreciated for many years to come! I can’t wait for the DLC.

Pros

+ Absolutely stunning and distinct visual style that works wonderfully in motion and feels timeless
+ Really good mix of levels, characters and weapons and enemies to keep the loop sharp
+ Nice amount of content and replayability with collectibles and difficutly sets.