"Mouse: PI for Hire Aims to Fill Animated Gap Left by Cuphead"

In 2017, *Cuphead* captured the gaming world's imagination by delivering something truly rare: a full-fledged video game built entirely around hand-drawn art and animation inspired by 1930s cartoons. The level of detail and dedication required to pull this off was immense—painstaking, time-consuming, and incredibly labor-intensive. Since then, few games have attempted anything similar at that scale. But now, a new project is stepping into the spotlight with its own ambitious vision: *Mouse: P.I. for Hire*. Like *Cuphead*, it features fully handcrafted visuals, but beyond that, *Mouse* stands as a unique and visually stunning experience all its own.

After watching a hands-off demo, I found myself just as captivated as when I first saw *Cuphead*—perhaps even more so. This is not just another retro-styled shooter; it’s a carefully crafted love letter to early animation and classic detective stories, wrapped in a fresh and engaging gameplay loop.

A Stylish Black-and-White World

From the moment you see it, *Mouse* strikes you with its bold black-and-white aesthetic, evoking memories of the Steamboat Willy era of animation. Everything moves with a rubbery, exaggerated charm, including weapons that wobble slightly even when idle. Visually, it’s a feast for fans of vintage cartoons—but what really sets it apart is that this entire world is hand-drawn and hand-animated, frame by painstaking frame.

First-Person Noir Meets Cartoon Chaos

The game puts you in the shoes of Jack Pepper, a hard-boiled detective straight out of an early 20th-century noir tale. Voiced by Troy Baker with a purposefully over-the-top New York accent, Jack fits perfectly into the world of gumshoes and jazz-age intrigue. As a first-person shooter, *Mouse* could easily fall into the trap of being just another action title—but the demo shows clear intent to blend investigation, storytelling, and humor into the core gameplay.

Detective Work That Matters

During the demo, we joined Jack on a mission set inside an opera house where he needed to locate and question Roland, the stage designer. The journey began at the back door, speaking to a waiter who hadn’t seen him, leading us inside to investigate further. This wasn't just a simple “shoot-first” scenario—it encouraged exploration, dialogue, and deduction.

Inside the kitchen area, characters are presented as 2D figures within a 3D space, a design choice reminiscent of classic titles like *Doom*. Through a porthole window, Jack used a detective feature called reconnaissance, snapping a photo and identifying members of the Big Mouse Party—definitely not the kind of company you’d want to keep.

Sneaking, Secrets, and Setbacks

Later, after declining a $30 bribe from a slick waiter, Jack sneaked through a vent—only for the bottom to give way and send him crashing back outside. On the second attempt, he navigated carefully around the hole and entered a dressing room where a Thompson machine gun and ammo awaited. Naturally, the Big Mouse Party wasn’t thrilled about his intrusion, giving us our first taste of combat and some beautifully animated reload sequences.

Weapons With Personality

As the mission progressed, several standout weapons were introduced:

• Shotgun: Delivers powerful impact and a stylish reload animation.
• Explosive Barrels: Cause cartoonish fiery explosions that leave enemies burning dramatically.
• Ice Barrel: Detonates to freeze nearby foes, letting you kick them into shattering pieces, Terminator-style.
• Turpentine Gun: Melts paint-based enemies, much like the Dip from *Who Framed Roger Rabbit?*

Each weapon isn’t just effective—it’s a visual treat, blending gameplay mechanics with artistic flair in a way that feels both fun and narratively cohesive.

Platforming, Secrets, and Boss Battles

Beyond shooting, *Mouse* introduces light platforming elements. After battling a helicopter-tailed enemy type, Jack found himself dropped back into the basement through a trapdoor, where he met the Old Rat Stuntman—who taught him how to double-jump. Testing out the new move led to the discovery of a hidden baseball card featuring “Brie” Ruth (get it?), before returning to the stage to sabotage a live cannon aimed directly at mayoral candidate Stilton.

This triggered a boss battle against a raging opera performer, which ended in dramatic fashion with the turpentine gun. Watching the reload animation again, it was arguably the most satisfying one yet.

Final Escape and Demo Wrap-Up

With the fire spreading across the opera house, Jack had to shoot his way out using every weapon available. Once free, he debriefed with the stage designer, learning about a secret lab beneath a mansion—clearly setting up the next chapter. And with that, the demo came to a close.

Final Thoughts

Though I haven’t played *Mouse* myself yet, what I’ve seen has left me genuinely excited. It strikes a perfect balance between lighthearted comedy and self-aware storytelling, all while delivering solid FPS gameplay. Its art direction is breathtaking, but more importantly, the mechanics seem tight and engaging enough to carry the experience throughout the campaign. If the developers can maintain this level of quality and creativity, *Mouse: P.I. for Hire* could be something truly special.

Mouse screenshots

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