The wait is nearly over for one of 2026's most visually distinctive shooters. MOUSE: P.I. For Hire, the hand-drawn first-person shooter from Fumi Games and PlaySide Studios, launches on April 16 across PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC via Steam.
Originally slated for a March 19 release, the studio delayed the game by a month to give it additional polish. "We want every frame of this game to feel like stepping into a lost cartoon reel," the developers said in a statement. Based on preview coverage, the extra time appears well spent.
Players take on the role of Jack Pepper, a hardboiled mouse detective voiced by Troy Baker, navigating the corrupt streets of Mouseburg. What begins as a routine missing persons case quickly spirals into a web of kidnapping, corruption, and murder. The game blends classic boomer-shooter gunplay with investigation sequences where players gather clues and interrogate quirky NPCs.
The rubber hose animation style — drawn entirely by hand, frame by frame — sets MOUSE apart from anything else on the market. Every enemy, environment, and explosion channels the look of 1930s theatrical cartoons, all rendered in striking black and white with selective color accents. The jazz-infused soundtrack, featuring a collaboration with French electro-swing band Caravan Palace, completes the atmosphere.
MOUSE: P.I. For Hire is priced at $29.99, with a Digital Deluxe Edition at $39.99 that includes access to the first DLC expansion and the full original soundtrack. Preview impressions have called it "the most original FPS in years," and the game is expected to run 12 to 20 hours.