Mouse: P.I. For Hire

Mouse: P.I. for Hire is an amusing enough FPS if you just want to blast some cartoon mice and not think about it too hard, but its haphazard marriage of noir storytelling and boomer shooter action are at odds in uncomfortable ways that weaken both aspects.

There's rarely a frame that isn't bursting with style and creativity, and it's none too shabby as a retro-style shooter either. Mouse: P.I. might not reinvent the wheel, but its arsenal of weapons is punchy and delightfully varied, while the fluidity of movement makes for some thrilling, high-speed shootouts. In this instance, you should have no qualms about handing over money to the mouse.

Part-chaotic retro shooter, part-stylish cartoon noir, Fumi Games' Mouse P.I. for Hire goes beyond its stellar artistry to land an invigorating, imaginative hard-boiled romp.

A slick, accomplished shooter that's more than just an eye-grabbing art style.

Sure, I'd have liked more meaningful investigative mechanics and fewer reskinned baddies, but I was often too busy tapping my toes to jazz tunes and laughing at the riotous cartoon antics to be too bummed about it.

Fumi Games truly thought of everything when it came to crafting a wildly entertaining and satisfying FPS adventure. For retro shooter fans who are looking for fresh excitement and fun, you can’t get much better than this.

MOUSE: P.I. for Hire offers incredible art and animation, as well as enjoyable first-person shootouts. For that, it certainly succeeds — just don't expect it to do much of anything else.

Initially, I wasn't sure how well the mixture of influences and styles was working, but it's a testament to the attention to detail and polish that's gone into the whole production that Mouse: P.I. for Hire achieves such a high score. The story takes a bit of time to become truly gripping, but it does so at the exact same time as the combat and style reach new levels of quality, and I couldn't help but be impressed.While I can't say I am stunned or in awe of the clue-collecting, I very much enjoyed my playthrough. Mouse: PI for Hire feels fresh and fun, and I only have praise for the whole team who produced it. This animated noir mystery is a great achievement. It takes risks, it's challenging, it strives to be bold - and it works.

MOUSE: P.I. For Hire absolutely oozes charm in its narrative and gameplay, even if it gets caught in a mousetrap or two of the FPS genre.

Mouse: P.I. For Hire Review - Noir, Cheese, and Chaos. Check out BellaRose's full review.