During Summer Game Fest 2025, PlaySide Studios revealed that award-winning voice actor Troy Baker (Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, The Last of Us, BioShock, and much more) voices Jack Pepper, the private investigator protagonist of the upcoming game, MOUSE: P.I. For Hire.
In case you didn't catch that, Baker's character has a rather cheesy name (Pepper Jack) that's well-suited for a rodent.
At the time of writing, MOUSE: P.I. For Hire is one of the top 30 most wishlisted games on Steam.
The most striking thing about MOUSE: P.I. For Hire is that it's a cartoony, FPS, Boomer Shooter with protagonists who look like they'd fit right into 1930s black and white rubber hose animations like Mickey Mouse's Steamboat Willie.
The old-school characters, enemies and elements in the environment are all hand-drawn, with over-exaggerated movements and facial expressions that add life to the noir-inspired city of Mouseburg.
According to the latest trailer, Pepper is a detective whose latest case requires him to run up against dangerous gang members while uncovering a gritty mystery that involves corruption, murder, and more.
Players also get to use a range of whimsical weapons and items to wallop any wrongdoers. These include TNT in a flower bouquet, cheese, a freeze gun, and more.
Baker has expressed his interest in the game and his excitement to share more about it:
“I have been following the development of MOUSE: P.I. For Hire since it was first teased.” said Baker. “Its art style, gameplay and 1930s film-noir aesthetic continue to win me over. I cannot wait to keep working with the team to bring Jack Pepper to life and hope to have some exciting things to share as we get closer to launch!”
MOUSE: P.I. For Hire is being developed by Fumi Games and published by PlaySide Studios. It will release sometime in 2025 on Xbox, PC, PlayStation, and Nintendo Switch.
This sure feels like a more mature Mickey Mouse game
While not identical, the look of the characters in MOUSE: P.I. For Hire are reminiscent of the original Mickey Mouse character designs that first appeared in 1928's Steamboat Willie short.
But that isn't too surprising, given that Mickey Mouse entered the public domain on January 2024. So, we'll likely see more instances of the world's most recognizable cartoon character showing up in games, movies, and more.
In all fairness, many of the cartoon characters from the 1920s and 1930s looked an awful lot a like. For instance, it would be easy to mistake a mouse from a Felix the Cat short as Disney's iconic mascot.
One thing is for sure, this vintage art style is perfectly suited to a Boomer Shooter like MOUSE: P.I. For Hire.
I say this because the retro rubber hose animations of the early 20th century, were very playful, often highlighting mischievous characters who found themselves in unpredictable situations that subverted viewer expectations for a laugh.
Additionally, this art style breathes plenty of movement and overexaggerated stances that will be entertaining to watch while running through this story. As such, the rubber hose animation is perfectly fitting for an action-packed FPS game like this one.
I can't wait to check out MOUSE: P.I. For Hire when it launches and have already wish listed it on Steam. You can also wish list it at Xbox if you'd prefer.
