MOUSE: P.I. For Hire vs Sword of the Sea
A 12-hour shooter with cartoon charm versus a 3-hour flow-state glide — pick based on how much time and patience you bring.
Updated 26d 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.
Giant Squid's glide-and-grind traversal is pure flow — a worthy heir to Journey's throne despite the short runtime.
By the numbers
Prices checked Sep 8; 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 8.
| Measure | MOUSE: P.I. For Hire | Sword of the Sea |
|---|---|---|
| Value MOUSE: P.I. For Hire wins on value | ||
| Price now | $21.99 −27% · AllYouPlay | $29.99 Epic Game Store |
| All-time low | $21.99 | $20.99 |
| Cost / hour | $1.81/hr $21.99 · 12 h main story | $10.90/hr $29.99 · 3 h main story |
| Off its low | At its low low was Sep 2026 | +43% low was Mar 2026 |
| Main story | 12 h | 3 h |
| Health MOUSE: P.I. For Hire wins on player health | ||
| Steam reviews | 94% 16k reviews | 90% 2k reviews |
| Recent reviews | 91% 539 votes · vs 94% lifetime | 87% 47 votes · vs 90% lifetime |
| Peak players | 843 Aug 2026 · ↓ 49% MoM | 33 Aug 2026 · ↑ 3% MoM |
| Launch peak | 6% of Apr 2026 launch peak · as of Aug 2026 | 7% of Aug 2025 launch peak · as of Aug 2026 |
| All-time peak | 13,723 Apr 2026 | 493 Aug 2025 |
| Support | ||
| Last patch | 8 weeks ago | 12 months ago |
| Patch cadence | 2 in last 90 days | 0 in last 90 days |
| Steam Deck | Platinum | Gold |
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
Sword of the Sea
Sliding and tricking across dunes is the hook that holds even veteran Game-of-the-Year voters, the movement so fluid it feels effortless.
Ending the game is a letdown — a third of players call it a quality cliff, and the collectible sprawl can sour the closing stretch.
from our August 2026 verdict
Key differences
Which one is for you?
Pick MOUSE: P.I. For Hire if
- You loved Cuphead's art direction and want a shooter around that style
- You have 12 hours and want a story-heavy linear campaign
- You're fine with arena fights if the aesthetic is unique
Pick Sword of the Sea if
- You measure art-games by Journey and want a wordless pilgrimage
- You have only a few hours this weekend and want a complete escape
- You prefer chaining mid-air tricks to gunfights
Bottom line
Pick MOUSE for its 94%-positive cartoon style and 12-hour campaign; choose Sword of the Sea for a tight 3-hour flow state at 90% positive — unless you can't forgive either's cost-per-hour.