MOUSE: P.I. For Hire brings noir FPS sleuthing to Xbox in 2026

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Fumi Games has outlined fresh details for MOUSE: P.I. For Hire, the black-and-white noir shooter styled after 1930s “rubber hose” cartoons. The studio, based in Warsaw, Poland, shared the overview during the ID@Xbox Showcase. Beyond its striking aesthetic, the game mixes first-person gunplay with detective work built around cases and evidence. The release date is set for March 19, 2026, with the game arriving on Xbox Series X|S. The new information focuses on structure, exploration, combat variety, and presentation.

Three cases, one detective

You play as Jack Pepper, a war veteran turned private investigator who starts the story with three separate cases to pursue across Mouseburg. Each case pushes you into new districts and hides different leads to unearth. This is not a simple corridor shooter – cases are designed to interleave combat with clue gathering.

Evidence includes physical items, NPC conversations, and even photographs you take yourself. Clues are arranged on a string-and-pin corkboard in Jack’s office; placing each piece correctly unlocks new revelations and locations. The structure encourages back-and-forth investigation as much as firefights.

Mouseburg hub and progression

Mouseburg serves as a central hub roughly in the middle of the city, anchoring exploration and upgrades. It features three key locations: Jack’s office, a local pub, and Tammy’s workshop. The hub is more than a menu – NPC interactions can surface hints, workshop visits let you upgrade weapons, and minigames add variety between missions.

When ready, you jump into Jack’s car and drive the overworld map to the next destination. This loop ties together case progression, preparation, and level selection in one place, reinforcing the investigative pacing between combat-heavy chapters.

Cartoon combat with evolving threats

Gunplay nods to classic shooters such as DOOM and BioShock while layering in systems that keep encounters changing. The arsenal ranges from staples like a Tommy Gun to more experimental arms – including a brain-in-a-jar device that fires psychic waves. Difficulty aims to feel demanding yet playful, with enemy waves escalating as you push deeper into the city.

• Alt-fire upgrades unlock by collecting weapon schematics found throughout levels.
• New enemy types and variants appear as the campaign advances.
• Bosses introduce bespoke mechanics – for example, the ghost-like Third Wife must be weakened with a flashlight before you can deal damage with firearms.

Visuals and audio rooted in the 1930s

The world’s environments are rendered in 3D, while every character, enemy, UI element, and weapon is hand-drawn in 2D and animated to mimic the era’s elastic, bouncy “rubber hose” style. Even idle weapons sway and stretch, underscoring the period look.

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The entire game is black-and-white, which shifts navigation cues from color to lighting and animation. Interactive objects subtly “dance” to catch the eye. On the audio side, players can select customizable filters, from a clean mix to degraded processing that emulates an early phonograph cylinder.

Release details

MOUSE: P.I. For Hire launches on March 19, 2026 for Xbox Series X|S. The latest feature breakdown was presented as part of the ID@Xbox Showcase by Fumi Games in Warsaw, providing a clear view of how its casework, hub design, and stylized combat fit together.

Final takeaway – why this noir FPS stands out

MOUSE: P.I. For Hire pairs investigative structure with a cartoon-noir FPS profile, promising a loop of clue-chasing, hub prep, and evolving gunfights. For players, that means a shooter built to switch gears – from corkboard deductions to boss mechanics – while committing fully to a distinctive 1930s aesthetic.