We Love It's Guide to…
Run a roadside gas station as an undercover alien, serving customers while secretly researching humans and avoiding detection.
Released 12 Feb 2026
Serve Humans Undercover
Secretly Study Customers
Keep Suspicion Down
Roadside Research is a 1 to 4 player co-op gas station simulator. Except you’re aliens. And undercover. Do very human things like restocking shelves while preparing for the invasion. Just don’t get caught.
Developed by Cybernetic Walrus · Published by Oro Interactive
You play as an alien hiding in plain sight at a roadside gas station, alone or with up to three other players. By day, keep the business running while trying not to expose your true identity.
Serve customers at the register, refuel their cars, stock shelves, clean the station, and order goods for the shop. You can set prices and expand or customize the station as the business grows.
Alongside shop upgrades, develop alien technology to gather information about humans. Use research tools on customers and manage suspicious activity: too much attention can bring government agents to investigate.
Many reviewers enjoy the oddball alien premise and find the shopkeeping loop funny or satisfying, especially in co-op, where coordinating the many station tasks can turn hectic. Some also enjoy playing solo, but reviews often describe the work as demanding alone. Recurring criticisms include repetitive tasks and limited content, a workload that grows without enough automation, and alien research or agent encounters that some players find too shallow. A smaller but notable set of reviews reports problems connecting or playing smoothly in co-op.
Aliens have landed on Earth… to run a gas station. Play solo or up to 4 players and do human tasks to blend in. People depend on you, it’s your job to make sure that the shelves have the correct items, refuel customers passing by, and provide food for travelers. But most importantly, you must conduct your research.
Your mission is simple. Gather all data you can from humans without their knowledge. Scan, steal, and test various methods on customers while they stop by the gas station. Be careful not to raise the “suspicion meter” too high, as that will trigger the visit of government officials.
During the day, take care of the gas station as an ordinary employee. Restock the shelves, order wares for the shop, refuel passersby, and exchange goods for cash. At night you will be able to gather your thoughts, and plan for the next day.
Balance between two missions, upgrading the gas station to attract more customers and upgrading your alien tech to process data and gather information more efficiently. To blend in, draw a very normal human expression on your state-of-the-art disguise.
During closing hours, you can also upgrade the station, inside and outside to make sure everything is going according to plan.
Chaotic solo or co-op fun: Gather friends or play alone to manage the gas station while pursuing your alien mission.
Dual Upgrade Path: Manage upgrades for your gas station and for your alien technology at the same time
Satisfying Simulation: Clean, cook, and stock your workplace with all necessary supplies and items to make sure every customer leaves satisfied.
Alien Deception: Make sure to stay disguised and don’t get caught by human government officials. If you are too suspicious, they will turn you into goo.
| Platforms | Windows |
|---|---|
| Age ratings |
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| Controller support | PlayStation, Xbox |
| Controller required | No |
| Content notices |
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| Website | Official website |
