Mouse: PI for Hire review - you won't have played anything like this before

Just when you feel like you've seen it all, something so incredibly unique comes along to show you that you really haven't.

Sometimes, it's clear to see why that something has never been done before - because it just doesn't work. However I'm incredibly pleased to say that's absolutely not the case with Mouse: PI for Hire, a first-person shooter with hand-drawn rubber hose animation inspired by the style of classic 1930s cartoons that's entirely in black and white. It focuses on noir-inspired detective gameplay complete with a jazz soundtrack.

And it's an absolute blast from start to finish.

A review code was provided by the publisher and I played Mouse: PI for Hire on a PS5 Pro.

Mouse: PI for Hire is a blast from start to finish / Fumi Games, Playside Studios

Starting with the game's art style, Mouse: PI for Hire is black and white and set in a 2.5D universe.

That's because there's 2D hand-drawn rubber hose animation for its characters and for some items found in the world, like guns, cars and money, but the game itself is set in a 3D world.

That distinct and unique identity never wavers as the hours roll on, especially with a superb jazz soundtrack that accompanies you throughout, and it accomplishes complete immersion with such confidence.

That's because Fumi Games really has thought of everything to make this game feel like you're playing through a throwback cartoon, even down to small details like a 'boing' when you perform a double jump, a whistling sound playing when you drop down through a trap door or the sound of a bell ringing when you KO an enemy using your fists.

Having said that, some 2D character animations you come across in the world are not quite as sharp as they could be, even when playing on a PS5 Pro, and it takes some getting used to the 2D animations turning with your movement.

But Fumi Games has gone all in on bringing a clear vision to life and it's done so successfully on the whole.

To note, even on a base PS5, Mouse: PI for Hire runs at 4K in 60fps (frames per second) in quality mode and 1600p at 120fps in performance mode. When playing through Mouse: PI for Hire, performance was incredibly smooth and I did not encounter any noticeable issues.

Solving cases is the main aim in Mouse: PI for Hire / Fumi Games, Playside Studios

The main character in Mouse: PI for Hire is Private Investigator Jack Pepper. Playing as him, you solve cases while finding out more about the main character himself, the city of Mouseburg and the key characters associated with these cases.

Collecting clues, investigating different areas and speaking to people are the keys to solving these and they play out in really fun and engaging ways.

On the story, the cast is interesting, unique and in some cases hilariously over-the-top and everyone you come across will keep you entertained throughout the game's duration.

Each character does a superb job of bringing Mouse: PI for Hire to life, especially Jack Pepper himself who is played by Troy Baker in a truly standout performance with a fantastically gritty Brooklyn accent.

Pepper's reactions at pivotal moments, dry sense of humour and his past which he doesn't like everyone to know about make him a brilliant main protagonist with depth.

The world of Mouseburg itself could be established a little bit better, as the focus is on solving the cases presented to you, but the cast of characters are the standouts of Mouse: PI for Hire's story.

Because they are so well performed across the board, they make you feel like you really are one of them and that level of immersion is only heightened by Mouse: PI for Hire's fantastically unique approach.

Mouse: PI for Hire's entire cast of characters is strong / Fumi Games, Playside Studios

The levels you play through are fairly linear with rewards off the beaten path but you can also explore other areas when they unlock by driving around in your car in the overworld.

Gameplay is fast and snappy for the most part with pretty tight but uncomplicated controls. The levels themselves are quick but there's an ebb and flow to the pacing when you return back to your office to pin clues, upgrade weapons and buy ammo if you want to which allows the game to breathe.

You have an arsenal of weapons which you build and upgrade as the game progresses. Running and gunning is a key factor as you cannot aim down the sights of your gun but replacing that is an alt-fire and some weapons have some fantastic other abilities.

The main enemies you take on are other mice and there are boss battles that switch things up from time to time, and some of them really force you to think how to beat them, but the enemy variety could be much stronger.

Even when you're up against enemies that are not mice, they feel like they present you with the same challenges but just in different skins.

Thankfully, with it being a shorter game (around 12 hours or so to roll credits) and with the level designs being strong throughout, this isn't as much of a sticking point as it could be.

In terms of navigation and exploration, it's quite refreshing there isn't too much handholding either; while there are objective markers the game doesn't just tell you how to get from A to B unless you want it to. You can press a button to reveal a path showing where you need to go but if you want a more organic experience, then you can enjoy that.

This whole gameplay loop is incredibly fun and satisfying as the hours roll on.

Mouse: PI for Hire's gameplay is fairly straightforward but a lot of fun / Fumi Games, Playside Studios

Overall, Mouse: PI for Hire is a fantastically unique and well realised game that's a blast to play through.

Fumi Games has thought of everything when bringing this distinct art style to life, each and every character is distinct and it's fun playing out each case to find out what happens.

Mouse: PI for Hire's world of Mouseburg could be developed a bit more, some 2D textures could be a bit sharper and enemy variety in its levels could be stronger.

But the game is so incredibly unique, you won't have played anything like this before. And you'll have a great time doing so.

9/10

Mouse: PI for Hire is out on PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch 2, the original Switch and PC on 16 April.

Elsewhere from indy100:

• Mouse: PI for Hire preview - one key feature could make this a genuine GOTY contender
• Pragmata review: One giant leap for Capcom and a game we'll keep replaying

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