MOUSE: P.I. For Hire — The Most Stylish FPS of 2026 Launches April 16

What happens when you cross the hard-boiled noir detective genre with the rubber-hose cartoon style of 1930s animation, add a fully loaded arsenal of utterly absurd weapons, and build one of the most visually distinctive first-person shooters in years? You get MOUSE: P.I. For Hire — the indie FPS that has been turning heads since its first reveal, and that finally hits PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC on April 16, 2026 for just $29.99.

Cuphead Meets Doom — But Make It Jazz

MOUSE: P.I. For Hire is the debut title from Australian studio Fumi Games, published by PlaySide Studios. It draws direct inspiration from the classic cartoons of the 1930s — think Steamboat Willie, Betty Boop, Popeye — and wraps it around a fast-paced, run-and-gun FPS experience that takes the genre completely seriously underneath all the slapstick.

The result is one of the most immediately striking visual styles of any game in years. Every frame of animation is hand-drawn, rubber-hose style — the term describing those noodly, endlessly flexible limbs that defined early animation. The entire game runs in black and white, with the visual language of 1930s cartoons translated faithfully into a fully playable three-dimensional world.

But underneath the eye-catching aesthetic is a genuine, combat-focused FPS built for speed, skill, and constant movement.

Meet Jack Pepper — Private Eye, Former War Hero, Regular Mouse with a Gun

You play as Jack Pepper, a private investigator and former war hero in the city of Mouseburg — a sprawling, corrupt metropolis where danger lurks even in the smallest mouse hole. Voiced by Troy Baker — known for Death Stranding's Higgs and Indiana Jones — Jack is no superhero. He's just a regular mouse with a gun and a job to do.

A simple missing persons case quickly escalates into a complex web of intrigue, with corruption, kidnapping, and murder all on the docket. Unravel layers of corruption through a thrilling noir-fueled detective story that can be dark and adult as well as goofy and comedic — a fascinating tonal balance that goes beyond the cartoon inspirations.

The game features multiple endings for replay value, and the Deluxe Edition includes a digital comic that dives deeper into the story's lore.

Over 20 Levels, an Arsenal of Madness, and a Big Band Jazz Soundtrack

MOUSE features over 20 noir-infused levels taking Jack through dark streets, classic film studios, opulent opera buildings, poisonous swamps, and underground sewers. Mouseburg is a detective's delight — teeming with mice, rats, and shrews, each with their own attack patterns and personality.

The arsenal is where things get wonderfully unhinged. Alongside "conventional" weaponry — a pistol, a shotgun — are some bizarre firearms straight out of the Looney Tunes playbook. A de-varnishing chemical weapon rapid-fires paint stripper that melts enemy flesh. The Loose Cannon is exactly what it sounds like — presumably sheared loose from a pirate ship. There's a freeze ray, fire-damaging chainsaws, and a science-infused attitude adjuster complete with a brain in a jar co-pilot.

A weapon upgrading system in Tammy's workshop hub lets players augment Jack's firearms with power-ups and additional firing modes as the campaign progresses.

Underpinning all of it is an original big band jazz soundtrack composed by Patryk Scelina, featuring a full orchestral ensemble — plus a special track by French electro-swing icons Caravan Palace, whose song "Good Mouse" accompanies the game's animated music video.

Movement Built for Speed

Jack Pepper enters the fray with a spring in his step. The game features sliding, dashing, double-jumping, wall-running, pipe crawling, and a grappling hook — a full suite of mobility options that turn every level into a playground. Fumi Games has built an explicitly on-the-move ethos into the design, in the tradition of Quake and Doom.

And you will need every tool available. Jack is not Master Chief. He is a regular mouse with a gun — and taking hits is punishing. Constant movement is not just encouraged, it is survival.

Platforms, Price, and What's in the Box

MOUSE: P.I. For Hire launches digitally on April 16, 2026 for $29.99 on PC (Steam), PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and Nintendo Switch 2. The Xbox release includes Xbox Play Anywhere support — buy once, play on both Xbox and PC at no additional cost.

The Digital Deluxe Edition on Steam is $39.99 and includes access to the first DLC expansion, the full original soundtrack, and a new Caravan Palace track. Physical editions arrive later on July 10, 2026. Previous-gen versions for PS4, Xbox One, and original Switch are confirmed but without a release date.

The estimated campaign length is 12 to 20 hours, and the game is approximately 20GB in size.

The Hype Is Real

The Steam community reaction has been overwhelmingly positive ahead of launch. Early preview impressions called it "an impressive new indie game to keep an eye on" and described the developers as packing a mind-boggling number of elements into a single package.

With its fast-paced combat, fluid movement, noir detective narrative, and rubber-hose visual identity unlike anything else on the market, MOUSE: P.I. For Hire looks poised to be one of the indie highlights of 2026.

Conclusion

MOUSE: P.I. For Hire is the kind of game that makes you excited about indie development all over again. A small studio with a clear vision, a commitment to craft, and a concept so specific and so fully realized that it stands completely apart from everything else releasing this month.

April 16. Mouseburg is waiting. Jack Pepper has a case to crack.

The city is corrupt. The suspects are many. The guns are absolutely insane.