Combining traditional Nineteen 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 sport than first meets the attention.
Shortly after saying a March 19, 2026 launch date, we have been handled to a deep dive into the sport on the ID@Xbox Showcase, straight from the builders at Fumi Video games in Warsaw, Poland. You possibly can watch the complete deep dive beneath, or learn on to search out out all the brand new particulars we discovered alongside the best way:
“Extra Than Simply an Outdated-school Shooter”
If there’s one factor to remove from immediately’s documentary, it’s that MOUSE: P.I. For Rent is way over only a retro shooter in even extra 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 would possibly assume.
For a begin, the primary character – warfare veteran-turned-private investigator, Jack Pepper – is not only working and gunning by way of the entire sport. From the start, Jack is introduced with not only one, however three separate instances to resolve, every of which is able to take him throughout town of Mouseburg to unravel their secrets and techniques.
Every case requires you to each take down enemies in your approach and likewise to search out clues – whether or not these are bodily objects, info discovered by speaking to NPCs, and even pictures you would possibly take. Clues can then be taken to a traditional string-adorned corkboard in Jack Pepper’s workplace, situated within the HUB, the place every bit of proof have to be positioned within the right place to unlock new revelations and locations.
With a spread of ranges to discover, this sport 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 ready 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 sequence of menus. NPCs supply conversations with tidbits and clues, weapons may be upgraded on the workshop, and minigames present gamers with extra gameplay experiences. When you’re prepared to depart, heading to the following degree is as simple as leaping into Jack’s automobile and driving throughout the attractive overworld map of Mouseburg to your subsequent firefight.
Cartoon Fight
MOUSE: P.I. For Rent’s fight attracts on traditional shooters like DOOM and BioShock, with some added touches to make sure gunplay stays recent all through. With a philosophy of “difficult however enjoyable”, you’ll be pitted in opposition to waves of enemies and accumulate a whole 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 modifications too, with further sorts and variants being launched as you dive deeper into the world.
And in addition, bosses would possibly 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, in fact, the cheese within the room – we have to speak about how this sport appears to be like. Whereas environments are rendered in 3D, each single character, enemy, UI factor and weapon has been painstakingly hand-drawn in 2D and animated to resemble the traditional Nineteen Thirties “rubber hose” animation. The way in which every thing on the planet bounces, stretches, and bends is a tribute to that particular cartoon artwork fashion (even weapons proceed to bop and wiggle when Jack stays stationary). As you might think about, this has taken an unlimited quantity of labor from Fumi Video games, reinforcing how a lot of a labor of affection each single body of this sport is for the crew.
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 sport and degree design. Whereas most video games can use color to assist information gamers, Fumi wanted to realize that aim by way of use of sunshine and animation, giving your entire sport a really distinctive look from a participant’s perspective. Even right here, we’re seeing a tribute to traditional 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 thing sound as if it’s being performed from an old-school phonograph cylinder. This consideration to element – and to how gamers would possibly need to expertise the sport – is obvious throughout every 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 traditional cartoons of the Nineteen 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 unique huge band jazz soundtrack, and a fully-loaded arsenal of cartoon weapons and devastating power-ups.
DEADLY INVESTIGATIONS
Meet Non-public Investigator Jack Pepper, a former warfare 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 posh internet 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 traditional, creatively twisted and experimental firearms, and eat highly effective upgrades whenever you want that additional 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 with no combat.
A CITY OF SECRETS
Discover a various metropolis playground, from darkish streets to traditional movie studios, opulent opera buildings, toxic swamps and underground sewers. With a myriad of instances to resolve and collectibles to search out, Mouseburg is actually a detective’s delight! Use each instrument 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 Nineteen Thirties
– Quick-paced FPS fight, the place fixed motion is essential
– An exciting single-player marketing campaign that unravels a posh internet 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 degree traversal
– Unique jazz soundtrack, that includes an enormous band orchestral ensemble
