When Steamboat Willie entered the public domain in 2024, the race was on to build something vaguely resembling the old Mickey Mouse style. On one end, you had a slew of horror-related projects, with a few of them being intriguing but the majority being obvious cash-grab attempts by placing a recognizable cartoon character in unexpected situations. On the other end, you had Mouse: P.I. For Hire, a game that reflects thoughtful design choices. We got a chance to check out the latest preview build and came away both impressed and surprised.

The preview build starts off in a mission where you're trying to uncover the mystery behind the actions of someone you know. You begin at the base of a mountain, and it doesn't take long before you're attacked by cultists. You venture into the mountain to find a secret lab where, after fighting off more cultists, you find and defeat an unfinished robot. Dive further into the lab, and you'll find more crazed robots until you ultimately fight against a more polished version of the first boss robot.

Right off the bat, Mouse takes on the modern interpretation of the boomer shooter. That means no aiming down sights, so hip fire is the only way to shoot. You can carry a multitude of weapons at a time, but you can perform two melee attacks, a kick that's good for breaking objects and stunning foes, and a punch that you can wind up for better damage. Ammo is limited, but you have to reload. In short, if you're familiar with the likes of Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun, then you'll have a good idea of what to expect.

That comparison is a very positive one. The shooting feels excellent, and it's readily apparent whether you've actually hit someone. The game also lets you see the bullets headed toward you, so you'll know whether you really got hit. You'll still get some surprises, with enemies spawning out of your sightline since all fights only take place in enclosed monster closets. However, the game rarely feels unfair, especially because it does a good job of ensuring that there's plenty of ammo and health packs in each area.

Mouse lets you do more in levels beyond shooting at foes. Like any classic FPS, there are secret areas to uncover that give you more ammo and a few collectibles to pick up. There's a lock-picking minigame where you need to move your tail around to hit all of the switches without doubling back on yourself or hitting spikes. Most of the locks let you take your time, but a few require you to finish within a limited number of moves or a set amount of time. The preview build doesn't overdo it, so lockpicking isn't required for everything, and you won't run into a lore log every few steps.

The presentation is the first thing that brought attention to Mouse, and the preview build doesn't disappoint when it comes to showing off that aspect. The audio is great so far, with sound effects that feel authentic to the cartoons of the time. The voices match perfectly with the noir vibe. The music also sounds clean and authentic to the period, but the use of different tracks for every enemy encounter is a welcome detail since that's rarely done in shooters. Meanwhile, the black-and-white look makes the title look distinct, while the cartoon bounciness and fluidity will remind you immediately of Cuphead. The juxtaposition between that and the more traditional 3D environments makes the animation stand out more. The game also employs some neat tricks from the various media it emulates, such as having all enemies rotate their flat looks toward you at all times, even as corpses, and having breakable objects appear with a more vibrant shade of gray to let you know whether you should kick it or activate it.

What comes as a surprise is that the preview build doesn't end after you defeat the lab's final robot boss. You gain access to a world map where you can drive between destinations, the lab and your office in this case. Getting to your office means being able to roam around the neighborhood and chatting it up with certain people to advance the story. There are secret areas to uncover, shops where you can do some weapon upgrades, and an evidence board where you can link clues. It's a neat little touch that gives the game more depth beyond the standard shooting, and it'll be interesting to see how this evolves in the full title.

With the release now shifted to mid-April 2026, Mouse: P.I. For Hire has a little time to get in some polish. That's a good thing, since the base game is already solid. The shooting is a good mix of modern and classic, while the elements beyond the actual combat are a welcome surprise. We can't wait to see the full game when it drops in a month.