I've been waiting for so long to get my hands on MOUSE: P.I. For Hire. I've watched every video since it's inception, and I got to watch a developer play it at Summer Game Fest last year; I've been itching for my turn at the wheel. You could say it's cheesed me for quite some time that I've been unable to try it. Now, I've had the pleasure of a taste, and it's going to be hard for me to go back to the rat race.
My demo began with Jack Pepper, the main mouse detective character, investigating a secret laboratory. I have to give immediate props to Troy Baker; he nails the gritty noir detective voice. You're trying to search for clues to the scientist's, Steve Bandel, whereabouts. This trip had me taking out cultists who had made their way in previously, saving the hunchbacked Igorrr (not Igorrrr) from a cage, and fighting several robotic versions of Dr. Bandel's assistant, Robo-Betty. You may have seen her in the pictures (or recent trailers). It's pretty straightforward, but I like the no-nonsense design the developers are going for in MOUSE.
I have to give the team at Fumi Games a ton of credit for the world they've built. They've found the middle ground in where to aim this project – not too realistic, while not going too hard into the cartoon aesthetic. For the most part, the environment you inhabit has realistic qualities; a boulder on a cliff is a boulder, for instance. Where MOUSE shines is in its cartoon designs, with your pickups (like ammo or collectibles) and characters all presented in Steamboat Willie/ rubber hose styling, along with being a flat, 2D model. It reminds me of why I love the look of Cuphead; it's a rarely used art style that pops on the screen and is unique in the medium. With the presentation all in black and white, it's simply perfect.
Of course, we all knew the game looked incredible. The question was always going to be how it plays. I'm reminded of Bioshock, just without the powers. Your aim is fully locked in, no iron sighting, but it feels natural in MOUSE. It's also fast paced, with a full contingent of dodging, sliding, and jumping as you move around each arena. You even get a melee kick that will do in a pinch, especially if your opponent is carrying a shield.
All of your weapons are available through a weapon wheel, with normal pistols and shotguns flanked by a "Devarnisher", which is essentially an acid gun, but with a play on words given the cartoon nature of MOUSE. Each of these guns are fantastic, with the attention to detail in their animations second to none. I laughed out loud at the Tommy Gun, which has been aptly re-named the "James Gun". The way the guns "spit out" their projectiles, in only a way you'd see in an early 1930s cartoon, makes me smile every time.
Without realizing it, I managed to put an entire hour into this demo. Impressive, as it sucked me right in with its gameplay loop. I'm still curious as to how the full game will work and the scope it will entail. The story is largely told in exposition dumps; will that be enough? Or will the environmental story telling back it up even more as the game progresses? There's a really cool world map you traverse in choosing your next destination from the hub area; how open will that be? Speaking of the hub area, how will that be utilized in the narrative? And will we be able to explore more of it?
There's a lot to MOUSE: P.I. For Hire that I don't know, but I'm anxiously awaiting. This first impression of the gameplay is an absolute winner – the aesthetic, pace, and feel are all here. Honestly, it plays more or less as I expected, if Bioshock and Cuphead had a baby. All that needs to land is the story Fumi Games is hoping to tell, which, we at least know Troy Baker is going to nail the delivery. If they can craft an engrossing narrative, the team is going to have an indie hit on their hands.
MOUSE: P.I. For Hire releases on April 16th for PC (on Steam), PlayStation 5, Xbox Series consoles, and Switch 1 and 2.
