Ink, Lead, and Lies: Mouse: P.I For Hire Preview

• Release Date: April 16 2026
• Platform: PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Switch 1&2
• Developers: Fumi Games
• Publishers: Playside Studios Ltd
• Steam Page: Link

There’s no shortage of indie shooters trying to stand out, but Mouse: P.I. For Hire doesn’t just stand apart, it practically leaps off the screen in black-and-white ink.

Fumi Games’ upcoming noir FPS looks like a lost 1930s cartoon that somehow picked up a Tommy gun and a cynical attitude, and after spending some time digging into what it offers, it’s shaping up to be one of 2026’s most intriguing genre mashups.

What Mouse: P.I. For Hire lacks in colour it more than makes up for in style. Its hand-drawn, rubber hose animation mimics the look of early cartoons, complete with exaggerated character movements and monochrome visuals that feel ripped straight out of a vintage reel. Add in a dash of slapstick animation with a gritty noir setting filled with gangsters, corruption, and smoky jazz-club vibes, and you have the formula of a truly unique experience.

You play as Jack Pepper, a hardboiled mouse detective voiced by Troy Baker, who quickly finds himself pulled into a conspiracy far bigger than a routine case. The setup leans heavily into classic detective fiction, but the delivery is anything but traditional. One minute you’re interrogating suspects and hunting for clues, the next you’re blasting through enemies in chaotic shootouts.

That dual identity is where Mouse: P.I appears to get really interesting. While it features plenty of weapons and fast-paced combat, it also emphasizes investigation and exploration. Players will piece together clues, solve puzzles, and navigate environments at a slower pace between bursts of action. It’s a hybrid that feels closer to a detective adventure layered onto a “boomer shooter” foundation.

When the bullets do start flying, Mouse leans fully into its cartoon chaos. Expect an arsenal that mixes classic firearms with bizarre, animation-inspired gadgets. Weapons like freeze guns and other experimental tools add a playful edge to combat, while still delivering the punchy feedback you’d expect from an FPS. Combined with expressive enemy animations and over-the-top effects, fights look as entertaining as they are unpredictable.

Juxtaposing gritty combat with old-timey music is a winning formula as far as we're concerned (any else still want to set the world on fire?) Mouse: P.I's jazz soundtrack, the exaggerated animation, and the noir storytelling all work together to create a world that’s both nostalgic and fresh. To describe it as “an FPS Cuphead with guns” would be unfair, despite their obvious comparisons. The slower pacing, narrative focus, and investigative elements give it a distinct identity that looks to help it stand out in a crowded field.

Set to launch on April 16, 2026 across PC and consoles, Mouse: P.I. For Hire has already generated buzz thanks to its unique visual style and genre-blending approach. Whether it can balance its detective work with satisfying shooter mechanics remains to be seen, but the foundation is undeniably strong.

If nothing else, Mouse: P.I. For Hire looks like a game that you won't forget playing in a while. Stylish, strange, and unapologetically creative, it’s aiming to prove that even in a genre as crowded as FPS, there’s still room for something completely different.