MOUSE: P.I. For Hire vs The Alters
Shoot through 1930s noir chaos or survive your own reflections — pick based on whether you want action or introspection.
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.
11 bit studios at peak form — The Alters layers Frostpunk's moral weight onto a sci-fi base-builder where every employee is another version of you.
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 | The Alters |
|---|---|---|
| Value The Alters wins on value | ||
| Price now | $21.99 −27% · AllYouPlay | $13.64 −61% · Fanatical |
| All-time low | $21.99 | $13.60 |
| Cost / hour | $1.81/hr $21.99 · 12 h main story | $0.70/hr $13.64 · 19 h main story |
| Off its low | At its low low was Sep 2026 | At its low low was Aug 2026 |
| Main story | 12 h | 19 h |
| Health MOUSE: P.I. For Hire wins on player health | ||
| Steam reviews | 94% 16k reviews | 90% 20k reviews |
| Recent reviews | 91% 539 votes · vs 94% lifetime | 86% 351 votes · vs 90% lifetime |
| Peak players | 843 Aug 2026 · ↓ 49% MoM | 1,486 Aug 2026 · ↓ 53% MoM |
| Launch peak | 6% of Apr 2026 launch peak · as of Aug 2026 | 13% of Jun 2025 launch peak · as of Aug 2026 |
| All-time peak | 13,723 Apr 2026 | 11,227 Jun 2025 |
| Support | ||
| Last patch | 8 weeks ago | 12 days ago |
| Patch cadence | 2 in last 90 days | 5 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
The Alters
Narrative depth with emotionally weighty choices and real consequences is what keeps players returning.
from our May 2026 verdict
Key differences
Which one is for you?
Pick MOUSE: P.I. For Hire if
- You loved Cuphead's rubber-hose art and want a shooter pacing
- You prefer a tight 12-hour campaign with linear levels
- You can forgive repetitive enemies for visual novelty
Pick The Alters if
- Frostpunk's moral dilemmas in management games are your jam
- You want a sci-fi story driven by character and dialogue
- You prefer a slower, reflective 19-hour strategy experience
Bottom line
Pick MOUSE for its cartoon shooter flair but lower expectations on depth; choose The Alters if you value narrative and management over gunplay.