Combining basic Thirties “rubber hose” animation, explosive gunplay and an unrelenting cartoon world, MOUSE: P.I. For Rent is shaping as much as be a very distinctive deal with – however there’s way more to this recreation than first meets the attention.
Shortly after asserting a March 19, 2026 launch date, we had been handled to a deep dive into the sport on the ID@Xbox Showcase, instantly from the builders at Fumi Video games in Warsaw, Poland. You possibly can watch the total deep dive under, or learn on to seek out out all the brand new particulars we discovered alongside the way in which:
“Extra Than Simply an Outdated-school Shooter”
If there’s one factor to remove from right now’s documentary, it’s that MOUSE: P.I. For Rent is excess of only a retro shooter in much more retro clothes. Whereas at its core the sport is a first-person shooter (extra on that later), there are extra layers of gameplay than you may assume.
For a begin, the primary character – conflict veteran-turned-private investigator, Jack Pepper – is not only working and gunning by way of the entire recreation. From the start, Jack is introduced with not only one, however three separate instances to resolve, every of which can take him throughout town of Mouseburg to unravel their secrets and techniques.
Every case requires you to each take down enemies in your method and in addition to seek out clues – whether or not these are bodily objects, data discovered by speaking to NPCs, and even images you may take. Clues can then be taken to a basic string-adorned corkboard in Jack Pepper’s workplace, positioned within the HUB, the place each bit of proof should be positioned within the right place to unlock new revelations and locations.
With a spread of ranges to discover, this recreation is not only a easy Level A-to-Level B shooter.
The Hub
On the core of all that sleuthing and exploration is the sport’s hub world, which is about roughly in the course of town of Mouseburg. The hub comprises three key places: Jack’s workplace, the native pub, and Tammy’s workshop. However there’s extra right here than only a collection of menus. NPCs supply conversations with tidbits and clues, weapons could be upgraded on the workshop, and minigames present gamers with extra gameplay experiences. When you’re prepared to go away, heading to the subsequent stage is as straightforward as leaping into Jack’s automobile and driving throughout the gorgeous overworld map of Mouseburg to your subsequent firefight.
Cartoon Fight
MOUSE: P.I. For Rent’s fight attracts on basic shooters like DOOM and BioShock, with some added touches to make sure gunplay stays contemporary all through. With a philosophy of “difficult however enjoyable”, you’ll be pitted towards waves of enemies and accumulate a complete arsenal of cartoon weapons, from the anticipated (like a Tommy Gun) to way more “experimental” firearms (image a mind in a jar that fires psychic waves, with devastating penalties).
Most weapons additionally include an upgradable alt-fire mode, requiring you to gather weapon schematics over the course of the sport. However beware – enemies will see adjustments too, with further varieties and variants being launched as you dive deeper into the world.
And besides, bosses may even throw in complete new mechanics of their very own! We even noticed a ghost-like creature named the Third Spouse, which requires you to weaken her with a flashlight earlier than you can begin pumping lead.
Making the Previous the Future
And, after all, the cheese within the room – we have to discuss how this recreation appears. Whereas environments are rendered in 3D, each single character, enemy, UI ingredient and weapon has been painstakingly hand-drawn in 2D and animated to resemble the basic Thirties “rubber hose” animation. The best way every little thing on the planet bounces, stretches, and bends is a tribute to that particular cartoon artwork type (even weapons proceed to bop and wiggle when Jack stays stationary). As you can think about, this has taken an infinite quantity of labor from Fumi Video games, reinforcing how a lot of a labor of affection each single body of this recreation is for the staff.
So as to add to the problem, MOUSE: P.I. For Rent is solely in black-and-white, which needed to change how Fumi approached conventional recreation and stage design. Whereas most video games can use color to assist information gamers, Fumi wanted to realize that purpose by way of use of sunshine and animation, giving your entire recreation a really distinctive look from a participant’s perspective. Even right here, we’re seeing a tribute to basic cartoons, with interactable objects dancing in place, ready so that you can discover them.
And to finish that tribute to the previous, we even discovered that Fumi has added customizable audio filters to the sport! You possibly can select to play with extra crisp and “clear” music, or add degradation and different filters to assist every little thing sound as if it’s being performed from an old-school phonograph cylinder. This consideration to element – and to how gamers may need to expertise the sport – is evident throughout every little thing Fumi has touched.
Mouse: P.I for Rent involves Xbox Collection X|S on March 19, 2026.
MOUSE: P.I. For Rent
PlaySide
MOUSE: P.I. For Rent is an action-packed first-person shooter that attracts inspiration from the basic cartoons of the Thirties. Its black and white rubber hose visuals are drawn by hand, body by body, delivering a putting classic aesthetic. Unravel layers of corruption with an exhilarating noir-fueled detective story, energetic environments to discover, an authentic huge band jazz soundtrack, and a fully-loaded arsenal of cartoon weapons and devastating power-ups.
DEADLY INVESTIGATIONS
Meet Personal Investigator Jack Pepper, a former conflict hero-turned-detective in a world the place hazard lurks even within the smallest mouse gap. Uncover the reality when a easy lacking individuals case rapidly escalates into a fancy net of intrigue, with corruption, kidnapping and homicide all on the docket. Examine the seedy underbelly of Mouseburg, battle closely armed gangs and crooked cops, and uncover clues to disclose the conspiracy buried beneath the floor.
LOCK, LOAD & LAUGH
From crackling machine weapons to explosive firepower, every weapon in Pepper’s arsenal is designed to deploy continuous cartoon chaos. Arm your self with an array of basic, creatively twisted and experimental firearms, and eat highly effective upgrades whenever you want that further spinach-loaded punch! Deadly encounters and manic boss battles await on this boomer shooter-inspired, retro-vibed journey – and the denizens of Mouseburg by no means go down and not using a struggle.
A CITY OF SECRETS
Discover a various metropolis playground, from darkish streets to basic movie studios, opulent opera buildings, toxic swamps and underground sewers. With a myriad of instances to resolve and collectibles to seek out, Mouseburg is really a detective’s delight! Use each software at your disposal to wall-run, grapple-hook and double-jump by way of this unrelenting cartoon world.
FEATURES
– Black and white, hand-drawn rubber hose animation, impressed by cartoons of the Thirties
– Quick-paced FPS fight, the place fixed motion is vital
– An exciting single-player marketing campaign that unravels a fancy net of crime and corruption
– Over 20 noir-infused ranges, teeming with mice, rats and shrews
– Totally-loaded arsenal of over a dozen distinctive weapons and tools – with a cartoon twist
– Devastating consumable power-ups, able to turning the tide of any battle
– Unlockable motion skills and Metroidvania-inspired stage traversal
– Unique jazz soundtrack, that includes a giant band orchestral ensemble
