Summary
In my hands-off preview forMouse: PI For HireatGamescom, the elephant in the room was quickly addressed. With developer Fumi Games opening by telling me the game’s initial inspiration came fromDisneyfied BioShock fan art by Redditor Liz the Biz, there was no attempt to run from the many comparisons Mouse has drawn in its short but bright time in the spotlight.
This is Mouse’s charm - it’s a unique cocktail of familiar ingredients. Firstly, there’s the visuals. While the devs are correct in their assertion that the rubber hose art style cannot be copyrighted and that other studios like Fleischer used it alongsideDisney, Mouse uses mice. You know, like Michael? I see their point and understand the reliance on familiar touchstones, but they are sailing far closer to the wind than the similarly rubber hose-styled Cuphead, thanks to their rodent protagonist.
Mouse: PI For Hire Is Full Of Cliches, But It Works
However, Jack Pepper (the titular mouse PI) is not like Mickey. But he is like several characters you’ve met before. The hard-fighting, hard-drinking, hard-boiled ‘30s detective with a sharp tongue and a gambling problem is a shot glass dropped in the cocktail that is Mouse. It’s in this emphasis on a darker, grittier story without resorting to Fritz the Cat vulgarity that Mouse seems to find an identity of its own amongst its cultural touch points.
It reminds me ofone of my highlights of last year’s show, Bye Sweet Carole. That uses the Golden Age Disney visuals of the ‘50s and ‘60s blended with horror, but if I had a criticism of it, I’m not sure if it crawls out enough from the shadow of ‘looking like Disney’. While that’s maybe a solid selling point in the marketing phase, it also brings storytelling expectations that few can hit.
Mouse distances itself by taking equal, maybe greater, inspiration from the noir genre. The devs also assure me it explores deeper issues than the cartoon visuals might lead you to believe, including murder, political corruption, and racial segregation.
Add in pop culture references to the likes of Popeye and gameplay that mixesDoom(some Doom Eternal team members are even consulting),BioShock, andIon Fury, and you’ll see Mouse has a lot of parts that it’s trying to be more than the sum of.
Mouse: PI For Hire Is A Dark Detective Sim Too
Without getting my hands on it, it’s tough to say whether it achieves that. But from what I saw, I have a lot of faith. While there were a few visual bugs in the pre pre pre release state, there was a lot of aesthetic flair to make up for it - but we already knew that. It was the speed of the gameplay and the details of the world (one character could be crushed by a falling chandelier) that helped it stand out as more than Disney Doom.
But the most interesting part of the game I didn’t get to see. While that does mean it should be taken with a large pinch of salt at this stage, it could end up being the salt on the cocktail’s rim - the final detail that makes it.
It sounds foolish for a game called ‘PI For Hire’, but the biggest surprise was the inclusion of detective gameplay. The whole thing can be played as a linear boomer shooter if players so wish, but the levels aren’t made just to be shooting galleries. Players who backtrack will unlock side quests and find clues that both uncover new depth to the main plot and tell their own B story. Reaching the end of each case will be required for the ‘true’ ending, though understandably there were no details forthcoming on what that might entail.
It’s clear that Fumi Games were a little surprised by Mouse: PI For Hire blowing up and going viral, and are now trying to tame that beast and ride it to glory. Openly discussing these inspirations and adding ambitiously dark layers of depth help, but the proof will be in the gameplay. By going so familiar it has a strong audience waiting for it, and I hope it can find footing in being so recognisable. I’m about as convinced as I can get from a hands off at this stage. I’m ready for this cocktail neat.
MOUSE: P.I. For Hire
WHERE TO PLAY
MOUSE: P.I. For Hire, a gritty and noir-fueled FPS shooter that draws inspiration from classic cartoons of the 1930s.MOUSE: P.I. For Hireboasts a unique visual style inspired by the charm of 1930s rubber hose animation, transporting players to a nostalgic era of early cartoons. Assume the role of a private detective navigating a noir city teeming with gangs, mobs, and characters from the dark side. Unravel a quest for justice in a noir city mired in chaos, corruption, and vibrant energy, utilizing a diverse arsenal of weapons, power-ups, and explosives to thwart the takeover by corrupt politicians. The game’s playful weaponry and distinctive health display, coupled with enemies behaving like cartoon characters, add a lighthearted twist to traditional FPS gameplay.
