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| An all-star voice cast brings the citizens of Mouseburg to life. |
By Jon Scarr
You don't usually expect an all-star voice cast in an indie first-person shooter. MOUSE: P.I. For Hire already had the 1930s rubber-hose look locked down, but a gritty noir world needs the right audio to hold it together.
PlaySide Studios released a cast trailer that proves they aren't treating the dialogue as an afterthought.
A Cast Built for Mouseburg
Troy Baker steps in to play Jack Pepper. Securing someone with his track record to voice a hardboiled cartoon detective gives the project instant credibility. The rest of the crew brings just as much talent. Florian Clare plays Wanda Fuller, the local reporter digging into the city's shady background. Camryn Grimes voices Tammy Tumbler, an inventor who helps you put together new gear and better firepower.
Fred Tatasciore handles the voice of John Brown, who runs the Little and Big pub. Frank Todaro plays Cornelius Stilton, a local politician who points you in the right direction when you need a lead. The actors break down in the video how they adjusted their voices to sound like they belong in a hand-drawn 1930s animation.
Audio That Changes the Experience
When I played similar retro shooters, the audio often took a backseat to the gunplay. Having a fully voiced supporting cast changes how you approach the levels. You aren't just blasting anonymous goons in a vacuum. You have a reason to care about who you talk to between fights.
MOUSE: P.I. For Hire relies entirely on its specific 1930s jazz-fueled identity. If the characters sound modern or flat, the whole illusion shatters. The developers recorded a big band jazz soundtrack live in the studio, and adding top-tier voice talent proves they understand the assignment. The vintage look gets you to buy in, but the audio actually holds the whole thing together.
MOUSE P.I. For Hire Arrives April 16
We don't have to wait long to see how the final product handles. MOUSE: P.I. For Hire releases on April 16, 2026. It launches across PC via Steam, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, and Nintendo Switch 2. (If you're picking it up on PC, hopefully your wallet recovered from the Steam Spring Sale).
I'm genuinely curious to see how the combat translates to a controller, especially on the Nintendo Switch 2. The trailer shows some incredibly fast action with a screen full of enemies, but knowing Jack Pepper sounds exactly like a 1930s detective should is enough for me.
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