For $29.99 and approximately 10 hours of runtime (excluding 100%-ing collectibles, secrets, and achievements), Mouse: P. For Hire is a detector sim that may not require a whole lot of brain power, but it sure needs fast reactions if you want to survive the onslaught of rat attacks. A shooter I hope inspirates others Getting old and stale isn’t on the cards with Mouse as this high-octane shooter switches up constant, and not in visuals alone.
Unlike most games, For Hire’s pacing never follows the same formula. In fact, it purposely does the opposite so that you never know what toexpect. Calling out other games for their nonsensical questlines, like asking you to mow down waves of enemies before one randomly drops the item you need to move on, Mouse keeps things interesting and un predictable with its boss fights.
While you’ll quickly expect enemies to fly out of doors with a mouse motif above them, the bosses feature innovative designs. This shooter may be true to its name, but no fight ever lasts too long. No single boss battle is the same, either, and each is so ridiculous entertainment that you will never be bored.
From a mini-gun-wielding gator and dead wives mistaking Jack for their ghastly hubby, to a boat firing at you like you have made it to the end of Takeshi’s Castle, topped by a quick game of Snap, the unpredictability of Mouse is what makes it unbelievably fun from start to finish. Enemy variety is fantastic, and difficulty scales with progress as you unlock more weapons and (hopesfully) upgrade them along the way. Each enemy type has a weakness to a particular weapon, allowing you to use everything in your arsenal instead of relying on one weapon per playthrough.
The methodical introduction of mechanisms is clever and gradually adds depth to what started as a somewhat limited movement shooter. By the end of the game, you will be grappling onto hooks, spinning your mouse tail to glide, and double-jumping to avoid bullets. Anime perfect?