MOUSE: P.I. For Hire vs The Alters
Fast-paced action versus emotional sci-fi base-building — choose your test of endurance.
Nails the rubber-hose aesthetic, earning its $20 if you can tolerate brutally tough bosses.
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.
Steam popularity
Shared scale — sparklines are directly comparable across both games.
MOUSE: P.I. For Hire
May 2026 peak CCU 5,134 ↓ 63% MoM
The Alters
May 2026 peak CCU 838 ↑ 28% MoM
All-time peak 11,227
Key differences
Gameplay pace
MOUSE: P.I. For Hire is a fast-paced first-person shooter with brutally tough bosses.
The Alters is a sci-fi base-builder with real-time pressure and repetitive management loops.
Visual style
MOUSE: P.I. For Hire features hand-drawn rubber hose animation inspired by 1930s cartoons.
The Alters has a more realistic sci-fi aesthetic with a focus on base-building and management.
Story focus
MOUSE: P.I. For Hire has a noir detective story with 1930s cartoon humor and slapstick.
The Alters focuses on emotional storytelling with heavy dialogue writing and moral weight.
Which one is for you?
Pick MOUSE: P.I. For Hire if
- You enjoy fast-paced boomer shooters like Dusk or Amid Evil
- You love hand-drawn animation and noir detective stories
- You're looking for a challenging game with brutally tough bosses
Pick The Alters if
- You prefer sci-fi survival games with real-time pressure
- You enjoy management games with moral weight and tough choices
- You're interested in a game with heavy emotional dialogue writing
Bottom line
Choose MOUSE: P.I. For Hire for a challenging shooter experience, but opt for The Alters if you prefer a more strategic and emotionally invested game.