MOUSE: P.I. For Hire vs Sword of the Sea
Frantic 1930s boomer shooter versus meditative sand-surfing — choose your flow state.
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.
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 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 | Sword of the Sea |
|---|---|---|
| Value MOUSE: P.I. For Hire wins on value | ||
| Price now | $23.99 −20% · Steam | $29.99 Epic Game Store |
| All-time low | $23.99 | $20.99 |
| Cost / hour | $1.98/hr $23.99 · 12 h main story | $10.90/hr $29.99 · 3 h main story |
| Off its low | At its low vs $23.99 low | +43% low was Mar 2026 |
| Main story | 12 h | 3 h |
| Health MOUSE: P.I. For Hire wins on player health | ||
| Steam reviews | 94% 15k reviews | 90% 2k reviews |
| Recent reviews | 91% 930 votes · vs 94% lifetime | 83% 53 votes · vs 90% lifetime · souring |
| Peak players | 1,657 Jul 2026 · ↑ 0% MoM | 32 Jul 2026 · ↓ 16% MoM |
| Launch peak | 12% of Apr 2026 launch peak · as of Jul 2026 | 6% of Aug 2025 launch peak · as of Jul 2026 |
| All-time peak | 13,723 Apr 2026 | 493 Aug 2025 |
| Support | ||
| Last patch | 12 days ago | 11 months ago |
| Patch cadence | 3 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 but want an FPS
- You enjoy boomer shooters like Dusk or Amid Evil
- You're fine with hard bosses and slapstick humor
Pick Sword of the Sea if
- Abzû and The Pathless are your kind of games
- You want a 5-6 hour experience with no combat
- Austin Wintory's soundtrack is a day-one reason to buy
Bottom line
Pick MOUSE for adrenaline and challenge; pick Sword of the Sea for a calming, beautiful escape.