MOUSE: P.I. For Hire vs planet of lana 2 children of the leaf
Boomer shooter chaos or cinematic puzzle serenity — pick your 2026 indie mood.
Updated 11d ago
Stylish cartoon noir that's worth playing for the hand-drawn world, but the combat stales and detective work is thin — rent it before you buy.
Surpasses Planet of Lana (2023) on every axis — Wishfully's hand-painted sequel deserves the 86% recommend if you have 6 hours and patience for slow puzzles.
By the numbers
Prices checked Aug 7; they move faster than we refresh, so confirm on the store page.
Recent-review figures are Steam's own last-30-days window, read Aug 7.
| Measure | MOUSE: P.I. For Hire | planet of lana 2 children of the leaf |
|---|---|---|
| Value planet of lana 2 children of the leaf wins on value | ||
| Price now | $23.99 −20% · Steam | $11.50 −42% · AllYouPlay |
| All-time low | $23.99 | $11.50 |
| Cost / hour | $1.98/hr $23.99 · 12 h main story | $1.85/hr $11.50 · 6 h main story |
| Off its low | At its low vs $23.99 low | At its low low was Aug 2026 |
| Main story | 12 h | 6 h |
| Health MOUSE: P.I. For Hire wins on player health | ||
| Steam reviews | 94% 15k reviews | 92% 964 reviews |
| Recent reviews | 91% 930 votes · vs 94% lifetime | 87% 69 votes · vs 92% lifetime · souring |
| Peak players | 1,657 Jul 2026 · ↑ 0% MoM | 57 Jul 2026 · ↓ 2% MoM |
| Launch peak | 12% of Apr 2026 launch peak · as of Jul 2026 | 18% of Mar 2026 launch peak · as of Jul 2026 |
| All-time peak | 13,723 Apr 2026 | 319 Mar 2026 |
| Support | ||
| Last patch | 12 days ago | 3 months ago |
| Patch cadence | 3 in last 90 days | 0 in last 90 days |
| Steam Deck | Platinum | Platinum |
Shared scale — same months across the bottom, same player-count axis up the side, so the two lines are directly comparable. A shorter line means a younger game.
What players say
Patterns from long-haul reviewers, taken from each game's verdict. Not live sentiment — each side is dated below.
MOUSE: P.I. For Hire
Rubber-hose animation and jazz soundtrack keep long-time fans hooked; cheese puns and Troy Baker's voice acting are the recurring praise.
Wave-based combat grows old after a few hours; the detective premise fades as levels turn into linear corridor shooting.
from our August 2026 verdict
planet of lana 2 children of the leaf
The expanded underwater exploration and chase sequences are what fans of the first game keep replaying the sequel for.
The increased puzzle difficulty and the open-ended cliffhanger ending frustrate even dedicated players.
from our May 2026 verdict
Key differences
Which one is for you?
Pick MOUSE: P.I. For Hire if
- You loved Cuphead's art but want a first-person shooter.
- You enjoy boomer shooters like Dusk or Amid Evil.
- You can tolerate hard bosses requiring repeated attempts.
Pick planet of lana 2 children of the leaf if
- You loved Planet of Lana (2023) and want denser puzzles.
- You enjoy Inside/Limbo-tier hand-painted indies under 8 hours.
- You want a couch-friendly single-player that finishes in a weekend.
Bottom line
Choose MOUSE for frantic FPS action with a unique visual twist; choose Planet of Lana 2 for a contemplative, atmospheric puzzle journey that ends before overstaying its welcome.