The noir-inspired first-person shooter Mouse: P.I. For Hire has arrived, and players are already diving headfirst into its cartoon crime-solving world. For those wondering whether this stylish FPS justifies its price tag, early playthroughs suggest the main campaign clocks in at roughly 7 to 9 hours if you stick to the critical path. Completionists hoping to track down every hidden collectible and side objective, however, should budget somewhere between 14 and 16 hours — a substantial bump that speaks to the density of secrets tucked into each level, as detailed by GameSpot’s full mission breakdown.
The game’s campaign spans 24 main missions, each named with the kind of hard-boiled charm you’d expect from a rodent detective story — titles like “Big Mouse, Little Hope,” “White Lies and Dark Secrets,” and “To Catch A Mockingmouse” set the tone. Scattered among these core cases are Side Jobs, optional quests that are unlocked by finding specific items or speaking with particular characters during the main storyline. These side missions are easy to miss, and the game does not make revisiting old areas simple, so thorough exploration on the first pass is strongly recommended.
One notable omission that players should be aware of is the lack of a New Game Plus mode. Once the credits roll, there are no additional unlockable modes or post-game content beyond the three standard difficulty settings: Rookie, Detective, and Supersleuth. This means that any collectibles or side objectives missed during a playthrough will require a fresh save file to mop up, adding extra incentive to be meticulous from the start.
Beyond the main objectives and collectibles, Mouse: P.I. For Hire also hides several secret achievements tied to obscure, highly specific actions that the game never explicitly hints at. One standout example is the “Quint’s Delight” achievement, hidden within the Saltwater Cambozo mission — one of the most secret-packed levels in the entire game. According to GameSpot’s achievement guide, players must locate a comically bizarre-looking dead shark hanging from a hook near a seaside restaurant and give it a kick — but only after progressing through most of the level and returning to the area once a collapsed wall opens a new route back.
The achievement is a playful nod to the kind of oddball humor that permeates the game’s world, rewarding players who are both observant and patient enough to backtrack. It is far from the only hidden trophy, either; another called “Herr Flick of the Wrist” requires players to interact with an agitator character during a specific campaign moment. These discoveries reinforce that exploration and curiosity are just as important as sharp shooting in Mouse: P.I. For Hire.
With its generous runtime for completionists, dozens of cleverly hidden secrets, and a campaign structure that rewards careful investigation, Mouse: P.I. For Hire appears to offer a satisfying package for fans of retro-styled shooters and detective fiction alike. Players heading into the game blind may want to keep a guide handy, though — the lack of level replay options means that a missed clue or overlooked side alley could mean starting the whole case over from scratch.