In 2023, Fumi Games’ MOUSE: P.I. For Hire went viral on social media for its aesthetics. The game has a wonderful, 1930s-inspired animation style that harkens back to the classic works of Disney, Fleischer, and Van Beuren Studios. On reveal, it was immediately compared to its forebears, with the assumption that Fumi was riffing on classic shorts, like Steamboat Willie.
But MOUSE: P.I. For Hire is not an attempt to capitalise on Disney’s popularity. It may feature mouse-like people and familiar cartoony designs, but this is an entirely different beast. As Fumi Games made clear during previews at PAX Aus and SXSW Sydney 2024, MOUSE: P.I. For Hire aims to wield its aesthetics for a much deeper, more layered story than players might expect.
In conversation with GamesHub, Mateusz Michalak, Game Director for MOUSE: P.I. For Hire, and Maciej Krzemien, Lead Producer, described the game as being a “twisted mirror” of 1930s America, with its cartoon aesthetic serving to elevate a dark, satirical story.
“We watched a ton of cartoons from the era, tons of feature films from the era. But that’s just a style,” Krzemien said. “When it comes to world building, yes, if you know your history, you will know that MOUSE: P.I. For Hire is pretty much a reflection of society and political tensions, political tendencies that were ever present in 1930s America. We felt that actually, the problems that were hitting the society back then are actually very relevant today.”
As Krezemien explained, MOUSE: P.I. For Hire is not a direct depiction of what happened in the 1930s, but it is a satire of this era. One of the touchpoints for the game was Charlie Chaplin’s The Great Dictator, which satirised the rule of Adolf Hitler and his Nazi Party.
“We feel that sometimes mocking those extremists is probably the best way to combat those tendencies.”
Wielding a cartoon aesthetic is also a very clever way to explore these deeper themes in a way that remains approachable for audiences. In the abstract, players are better able to confront themes of corruption, racism, and the impact of war.
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The titular “P.I.” of the game, Jack Pepper, is actually a war veteran turned detective, who must chart the seedy underbelly of Mouseburg as a mysterious journey for justice “quickly spirals into a complex web of intrigue, involving murder, corruption, and the unlikeliest of enemies.”
With inspirations in noir cinema and real life history, as well as classic animation, MOUSE: P.I. For Hire is clearly not a one-trick pony. And while it was made famous by its aesthetics, the Fumi Games team is keen for the game to be much more than its surface.
“The art style is great – it’s great to have people’s attention coming from that art style,” Krzemien said. “But if the gameplay would be supbar to that, and the gameplay would not follow with quality, we would probably lose their attention very quickly.”
At Fumi Games, multiple teams are working to bring MOUSE: P.I. For Hire to life, with a focus on a layered experience. One third of the studio is focussed on animation, as that remains a core part of the game’s appeal – and in its bouncy, dynamic animations, this team is clearly having a blast – while other parts of Fumi are focussed on narrative, worldbuilding, and gameplay design.
All parts of this process must flow together, as animation is such a core part of the beauty and intrigue of MOUSE: P.I. For Hire‘s world. As players move through locations, there must be a rhythm to their movements and in the firing of their guns, which flop around in charming, lively fashion. Enemy movements must also be accounted for, as their place and “realism” in the world is determined by effective, dynamic animation.
Based on Krzemien and Michalak’s descriptions, it’s a complex process being taken on with great care, and with a view to make MOUSE: P.I. For Hire‘s world a living, cohesive environment where fantastic, eye-catching animation is a tool to serve a hard-hitting story.
From what we’ve seen so far, this game is shaping up to be something extremely special – and you should certainly keep an eye on it, as it heads to launch.
MOUSE: P.I. For Hire is currently in development for launch in 2025. It will be available for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox, PC, and Nintendo Switch.
