Esoteric Ebb vs MOUSE: P.I. For Hire
One is a text-dense D&D investigation where talking wins; the other is a rubber-hose shooter where the detective work is thin — pick your preferred fake noir.
Updated 16d ago
Killer 12-hour cleric-investigation indie that earns 100% recommend — Esoteric Ebb wraps Disco-Elysium-style writing around D&D bickering-ability-scores combat.
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.
By the numbers
Prices checked Sep 26; 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 26.
| Measure | Esoteric Ebb | MOUSE: P.I. For Hire |
|---|---|---|
| Value Esoteric Ebb wins on value | ||
| Price now | $18.74 −25% · Steam | $19.99 −33% · AllYouPlay |
| All-time low | $15.74 | $19.99 |
| Cost / hour | $0.90/hr $18.74 · 21 h main story | $1.65/hr $19.99 · 12 h main story |
| Off its low | +19% low was Oct 2026 | At its low low was Oct 2026 |
| Main story | 21 h | 12 h |
| Health Esoteric Ebb wins on player health | ||
| Steam reviews | 95% 10k reviews | 94% 16k reviews |
| Recent reviews | 93% 293 votes · vs 95% lifetime | 90% 386 votes · vs 94% lifetime |
| Peak players | 411 Sep 2026 · ↓ 56% MoM | 504 Sep 2026 · ↓ 40% MoM |
| Launch peak | 9% of Mar 2026 launch peak · as of Sep 2026 | 4% of Apr 2026 launch peak · as of Sep 2026 |
| All-time peak | 4,568 Mar 2026 | 13,723 Apr 2026 |
| Support | ||
| Last patch | 6 months ago | 3 months ago |
| Patch cadence | 0 in last 90 days | 1 in last 90 days |
| Steam Deck | Platinum | Platinum |
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.
Esoteric Ebb
Dialogue depth and political themes reminiscent of Disco Elysium are what keep veteran players engaged.
The immense text volume and unconventional combat system pose the primary friction for long-haul players.
from our May 2026 verdict
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
Key differences
Which one is for you?
Pick Esoteric Ebb if
- You loved Disco Elysium's text density and want a tighter, funnier successor.
- You can finish a 12-hour single-player without DLC drag.
- You don't expect Baldur's Gate 3-style turn-based combat from a CRPG.
Pick MOUSE: P.I. For Hire if
- You forgive repetitive arena fights for 1930s rubber-hose animation.
- You loved Cuphead's art direction and want gunplay mixed in.
- You're a shooter fan open to a story-heavy campaign, not deep detective reasoning.
Bottom line
If you want the sharper, denser, cheaper 21-hour experience, take Esoteric Ebb; only pick MOUSE if the hand-drawn cartoon gunplay is worth 12 hours at $1–2 an hour.