Mouse: P.I. For Hire Preview: 1930s Cartoon Noir Meets First-Person Shooting

Private investigator Jack Pepper is a war hero turned detective living in Mouseburg, a city where corruption runs deep and danger hides in every mouse hole. That setup alone would be enough to catch attention. Then you see the visuals: black and white rubber hose animation, hand-drawn frame by frame, pulled straight from the 1930s cartoon era. Mouse: P.I. For Hire launches April 16, and it looks like nothing else releasing this year.

What Is Mouse: P.I. For Hire?

Developed by Fumi Games in Warsaw, Poland and published by PlaySide Studios, Mouse: P.I. For Hire combines boomer shooter gameplay with a noir detective story wrapped in vintage cartoon aesthetics. You play as Jack Pepper, investigating a missing persons case that spirals into kidnapping, murder, and a conspiracy buried beneath the city.

The game wears its influences openly. The rubber hose animation style references early Mickey Mouse and Fleischer Studios cartoons. The noir detective angle channels classic pulp fiction. The gameplay takes cues from retro first-person shooters. Somehow, these elements blend into something that feels fresh.

Hand-Drawn Animation

The most striking element is the visual presentation. Every frame of animation is drawn by hand in black and white, recreating the look of cartoons from nearly a century ago. This is not a filter applied to 3D models. The entire game commits to the aesthetic, from character designs to environmental details to weapon animations.

That commitment extends to the sound design. An original big band jazz soundtrack accompanies the action, reinforcing the 1930s atmosphere. Voice acting brings the cast of characters to life with period-appropriate delivery.

Boomer Shooter Gameplay

Beneath the cartoon exterior sits a proper first-person shooter. Jack Pepper carries an arsenal of weapons ranging from crackling machine guns to experimental cartoon firearms. Power-ups provide additional punch when encounters get chaotic. Boss battles test everything you have learned.

The pacing follows classic shooter design philosophy: constant motion, plentiful enemies, and escalating intensity. Fumi Games describes it as "boomer shooter-inspired," nodding to the Doom and Quake DNA in the combat systems.

Detective Noir Story

The narrative threads through locations across Mouseburg as Pepper investigates. What starts as a simple missing persons case expands into something much larger. Heavily armed gangs, crooked cops, and shadowy conspiracies await discovery. The noir framing gives the action context and the violence consequences.

Exploration matters here. Environments hide clues that flesh out the story and reveal what really happened in Mouseburg. The detective work is not separate from the shooting. Both serve the same investigation.

Release Details

Release date: April 16, 2026

Platforms: PC (Steam), PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 2

Price: $29.99 / £24.99 / €29.99 (Standard Edition)

A Digital Deluxe Edition is also available for £33.49, though specific contents have not been detailed. Physical editions are planned for collectors who want something tangible.

Note that Mouse: P.I. For Hire skips last-generation consoles entirely. No PS4, Xbox One, or original Switch versions are planned.

Why It Matters

The indie space constantly produces games that look different. Actually committing to a visual style this distinctive, while also delivering substantive gameplay, is harder to pull off. Mouse: P.I. For Hire is attempting both: a game that stands out visually AND plays like a proper shooter.

Fumi Games has been working on this project for years, hand-drawing thousands of frames of animation. That labor shows in every trailer and gameplay clip released so far. Whether the final product delivers on the promise remains to be seen, but the foundation looks solid.

April 16 is two weeks away. If you have any interest in shooters, noir stories, or animation art, Mouse: P.I. For Hire deserves a spot on your radar.