MOUSE: P.I. For Hire Preview
Thanks to the folks at Playside, the studio that created the acclaimed game Cuphead, I have had the chance to play a section of an early build of MOUSE: P.I. For Hire. The section I played may differ in some aspects from the final release.
So join me and take a peek into the world of Jack Pepper, MOUSE: P.I. For Hire
Meet Jack Pepper: P.I. For Hire
You’ll step into the shoes of Private Investigator Jack Pepper, a former war hero-turned-detective. Jack is voiced by the impeccable Troy Baker, runner-up for the 2025 Golden Lance award for Vocal Performance of the Year.
In a world where danger is everywhere, what starts as a simple missing persons case to locate missing magician, Steve Bandel, quickly escalates into a complex web of intrigue. No doubt with corruption, kidnapping, and murder all on the docket as well. Investigate the seedy underbelly of Mouseburg, where you’ll battle heavily armed gangs and crooked cops. All while discovering clues to reveal the conspiracy buried underneath the surface.
A Gumshoe is Nothing Without Contacts
Jack won’t be solving the case without help from the folks of Mouseburg. Some of the supporting cast that I ran into during my time on the case include:
- Reporter – Wanda Fuller
- Bartender – John Brown
- Town Leader – Cornielus Stilton
- Weapon Upgrades – Tammy Tumbler
Get A Clue (And Other Collectibles)
One thing a good P.I. does is collect clues, and Jack is no different. Keep a lookout in your surroundings for information that leads deeper into finding out who is behind all the trouble in Mouseberg. Be on the lookout for out-of-the-way areas that may hide materials that will make Jack’s job easier.
Is It Safe To Stick Your Tail In That?
Throughout the case, Jack will run into locked doors and safes. The game doesn’t use the usual lockpicks to get past the locks; Jack uses his tail. Some locks will have a time limit, a move limit, or even both to open them.
Put All Your Clues In One Place
While you work your way through the game, you will use your journal to track various aspects of the case. Such as primary and secondary tasks, newspaper clippings, cards, comics, clues, and armory information. As well as game controls.
You’ll also track all of your clues and how they are linked back in your office. After each location you complete in the game, you will pin the clues to a board on the wall in your office. This will give a visual roadmap of how all of the cases are connected to each other, leading to what’s behind the bigger happenings in Mouseburg.
Guns, Guns, Guns (and BOOM Goes the Dynamite)
As Jack progresses through the case, he will use various guns, from pistols, shotguns, rifles, and experimental weapons. When he needs a bit more bang, he’ll also have sticks of dynamite he can throw at enemies and breakable walls.
More B.A.N.G. For Your Buck
Thanks to Jack’s buddy, Tammy, you’ll be able to upgrade weapons using B.A.N.G., Ballistics, Augmentation, and Noteworthy Gains. Upgrades will allow for more bullets, better aim, and other hush-hush things.
Mouse: P.I. For Hire, Beyond The Story
- Graphics – Mouse: P.I. For Hire utilizes the animation style made famous by the Tex Avery cartoons of the 1930’s. Everything is constantly moving or dancing like rubber. This is the same style that was used in Cup Head. The game visuals are also in grayscale, adding to the noir feel. There are settings to adjust film grain and other graphical elements.
- Audio – The audio that I experienced in the level that I played was well done. The mix of Troy Baker’s voice and the era-correct, jazz music helps you experience the world of Jack Pepper and the town of Mouseburg. The sound effects in general are fun and, again, a great callback to classic animation. There are multiple settings for the audio quality as well, which can add to the feel and immersion of the playing experience.
- Controls – Simple controls that can be customized for each player. I remapped the dash button so that I could use the action as I’m used to in other FPS shooters.
- Accessibility – I’ve already mentioned the controller remapping; other than that, and the usual suspect, subtitles, there really isn’t a lot. I will say that I had to drop the difficulty to the lowest setting to be able to get past the first version of the first “boss”. The difficulty steps considerably with each bump.
(Note: In this slice of the game, I was not able to choose to go back to an earlier save file. In the full game, you will have the ability to choose which save file you load)
I Want To Solve The Case So Should You
After enjoying the slice of cheese from Fumi Games, I can’t wait to see more. Mouse: P.I. For Hire was on my most anticipated games for 2026. After this look, I can’t wait to experience the game as a whole!
Editor’s Note: The information and opinions I share here are based on an earlier build of a single section of the game. The final release version may differ.
Mouse: P.I. For Hire
Case Opens: April 16, 2026
Available On All Platforms
Wishlist: Here
