MOUSE: P.I. For Hire vs Replaced
Cartoon noir shooter versus cinematic platformer — pick your animation style, but expect thin combat from both.
Updated 27d 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.
Buy Replaced for its gorgeous pixel-art and atmospheric storytelling, if you can tolerate lackluster combat.
By the numbers
Prices checked Sep 10; they move faster than we refresh, so confirm on the store page.
Recent-review figures are Steam's own last-30-days window, read Sep 10.
| Measure | MOUSE: P.I. For Hire | Replaced |
|---|---|---|
| Value Replaced wins on value | ||
| Price now | $21.99 −27% · AllYouPlay | $15.99 −20% · Steam |
| All-time low | $21.99 | $14.99 |
| Cost / hour | $1.81/hr $21.99 · 12 h main story | $1.51/hr $15.99 · 11 h main story |
| Off its low | At its low low was Sep 2026 | +7% low was Jul 2026 |
| Main story | 12 h | 11 h |
| Health MOUSE: P.I. For Hire wins on player health | ||
| Steam reviews | 94% 16k reviews | 85% 10k reviews |
| Recent reviews | 91% 539 votes · vs 94% lifetime | 90% 443 votes · vs 85% lifetime |
| Peak players | 843 Aug 2026 · ↓ 49% MoM | 386 Aug 2026 · ↓ 40% MoM |
| Launch peak | 6% of Apr 2026 launch peak · as of Aug 2026 | 11% of Apr 2026 launch peak · as of Aug 2026 |
| All-time peak | 13,723 Apr 2026 | 3,547 Apr 2026 |
| Support | ||
| Last patch | 8 weeks ago | 3 months ago |
| Patch cadence | 2 in last 90 days | 1 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
Replaced
The hand-painted pixel-art and atmospheric world design is what keeps players coming back, even past 20 hours.
Combat pacing feels repetitive after a few hours, with bullet-deflect mechanics and limited enemy variety wearing thin.
from our May 2026 verdict
Key differences
Which one is for you?
Pick MOUSE: P.I. For Hire if
- You loved Cuphead's art and want it in a shooter.
- You can forgive repetitive combat for 1930s cartoon charm.
- You want a punchy 12-hour campaign with a high review rating.
Pick Replaced if
- You crave hand-painted pixel-art and an atmospheric dystopian setting.
- You enjoy philosophical stories about AI and consciousness.
- You're on a budget — 11 hours at $14.99 is a better deal.
Bottom line
Choose MOUSE for its gimmick and higher reviews; choose REPLACED if you want art direction and don't mind lackluster combat — its dollar-per-hour beats MOUSE's $2-plus rate, but you'll fight input lag.