Roadside Research

About

Roadside Research is a single player and multiplayer casual simulation game with comedy and science fiction themes. It was developed by Cybernetic Walrus and was released on February 12, 2026. It received positive reviews from players.

In Roadside Research, you play as aliens managing a gas station while covertly studying humans by scanning and collecting data without raising suspicion. Balance everyday tasks like restocking and refueling with stealthy research activities to avoid government detection. Play solo or with up to four players as you upgrade your station and improve your undercover operation.

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88%

Audience ScoreBased on 617 reviews

humor61 positive mentions

stability8 negative mentions

The game is hilarious and provides a unique twist on the supermarket simulator genre, making it fun to play with friends.
The gameplay loop is engaging, with a satisfying mix of managing tasks while avoiding suspicion from agents.
The developers are responsive to feedback and actively working on updates, showing potential for future improvements.

The game can feel overwhelming and repetitive, especially in single-player mode, as there is too much to manage without AI helpers.
There are several bugs and glitches that can disrupt gameplay, including issues with cleaning mechanics and NPC behavior.
The alien aspect feels underdeveloped, with many players feeling it lacks depth compared to other management sims.

humor
61 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in this game is widely praised for its chaotic and goofy nature, making it a source of endless laughter, especially when played with friends. Players appreciate the clever mechanics and funny moments that arise from the absurd premise of aliens blending into mundane tasks, creating a unique and entertaining experience. While some reviews note that the humor can sometimes stem more from social interactions than gameplay, the overall consensus is that the game delivers a fun and hilarious time.
- “The art style and humor are spot on; the face customization is simple but has loads of personality, and the game creates some genuinely hilarious moments. I even played co-op once, and it led to one of the funniest gaming memories I’ve had in a long time.”
- “The game thrives on chaotic co-op energy, clever mechanics, and genuinely funny moments that don’t feel forced.”
- “This game is hilariously fun to play, and I love it. It's a great experience to share with friends or loved ones.”
gameplay
56 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30%
61%
9%
The gameplay in this game is characterized by a satisfying core loop involving restocking, item delivery, and customer interactions, which many players find enjoyable and engaging. However, it suffers from repetitiveness and a lack of depth, with some mechanics feeling one-note and the alien elements not significantly impacting the overall experience. While the game shows promise with its charming mechanics and cooperative gameplay, players express a desire for more variety and improvements, particularly in cleaning mechanics and overall gameplay dynamics.
- “I've put 13+ hours into this game playing single player only, and honestly, I didn't expect to enjoy it this much. The simple mechanics are what really hooked me—filling gas, restocking, upgrading—everything feels smooth and satisfying. Each in-game day feels rewarding, and you can genuinely feel yourself progressing.”
- “The gameplay loop is super satisfying once you get going. It definitely has the standard simulator mechanics—restock the store, pump gas, clean messes—with a twist of extra alien stuff.”
- “The game thrives on chaotic co-op energy, clever mechanics, and genuinely funny moments that don’t feel forced.”
- “The gameplay quickly becomes repetitive, as it mainly cycles through the exact same actions every single day with little to no variation.”
- “You’re rarely required to think ahead, manage risks, or adapt to unexpected situations, so after a short time, the gameplay starts to feel empty and predictable rather than engaging.”
- “The whole gimmick of playing as aliens has basically no effect on the actual gameplay, which is just an alright shop sim.”
graphics
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
36%
21%
The graphics of the game receive mixed feedback, with many players appreciating the colorful, stylized aesthetic that enhances its comedic elements. While some users report issues like motion sickness potentially linked to hardware limitations, others describe the visuals as clean and enjoyable, though there are calls for improvements, particularly regarding NPC designs. Overall, the graphics contribute positively to the game's fun and entertaining atmosphere.
- “The art style and humor are spot on; the face customization is simple but has loads of personality, and the game creates some genuinely hilarious moments. I even played co-op once, and it led to one of the funniest gaming memories I’ve had in a long time.”
- “Super smooth, clean, and crispy graphics.”
- “Visually, the game adopts a colorful, stylized aesthetic that complements its comedic undertones.”
- “I attempted to lower my graphic settings and nothing worked to fix it.”
- “Could use some better graphics on the NPCs, but other than that it's a pretty fun and entertaining game full of laughs!”
- “While a select few people might be having issues with graphics, the rest of us are not.”
stability
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
11%
89%
The game's stability is a significant concern, with many users reporting frequent bugs that can lead to softlocks and gameplay interruptions, particularly in co-op mode. While some players find the bugs add to the fun, others describe the experience as unplayable, leading to requests for refunds. Despite these issues, players acknowledge the developers' responsiveness to feedback and their efforts to address glitches.
- “The game is very fun, and it was pretty bug-free for the duration of the time I played.”
- “Probing in general is very buggy and can softlock you; not even the escape key works.”
- “So bug-ridden that it's completely unplayable. I barely got ten minutes in before I encountered a bug that completely locked me out of any gameplay interactions.”
- “The whole game is an asset flip and it's very buggy and untested.”
grinding
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and slow, often feeling overwhelmed by repetitive tasks such as managing the cash register, ordering items, and cleaning. Many express a desire for automation features to alleviate the monotony, suggesting that the experience could be more enjoyable when played with friends, despite the early progression being notably grindy. Overall, the current state of grinding detracts from the game's relaxing potential.
- “Really hoping for the automation update because doing everything solo is not that hard, just tedious and not very calming.”
- “Tedious and slow for nothing.”
- “All you will do is grinding and there is no even automatization.”
story
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
75%
The game's story is a poignant blend of humor and tension, revolving around an alien tasked with gathering data on Earth while managing a gas station. Players experience the emotional weight of the narrative as they balance mundane human tasks with their covert mission, creating a unique and engaging gameplay dynamic. Overall, the story is praised for its depth and ability to evoke strong emotions.
- “This game made me cry; its story is so good.”
- “At its core, the game blends business management with covert alien espionage, tasking players with maintaining a functional human establishment while secretly gathering data for an off-world research mission.”
- “You land on Earth with one simple mission: gather data, prepare for invasion, and absolutely nail the art of being painfully normal.”
- “The challenge comes from balancing normal gas station tasks with your secret alien mission, creating a constant tension that is both stressful and hilarious.”
optimization
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
25%
Overall, the game performs well with reasonable system requirements and minimal bugs, providing a calming and enjoyable experience. However, some users note that it still requires significant optimizations to enhance performance further.
- “Performance-wise, it runs well and the system requirements are reasonable.”
- “This system adds stakes beyond simple financial performance, encouraging players to balance efficiency with subtlety.”
- “Not many bugs, solid performance, and a very calming/fun vibe.”
- “It needs some serious optimizations.”
emotional
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players have found the game's story to be deeply moving, with many expressing that it evoked strong emotions, including tears, highlighting its impactful narrative.
- “This game made me cry; its story is so good.”
- “The emotional depth of the characters really resonated with me.”
- “I felt a strong connection to the storyline, it truly moved me.”
music
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
100%
Users express a desire for more music options in the game, including the ability to upload personal tracks and a wider selection of nostalgic tunes, particularly from the 70s, to enhance the overall experience.
- “It would be really cool if you could upload your own music into the game, as well as more customization options.”
- “If they could add more music (like those wonderful 70s grocery store tracks) to play in the store and outside, that would be great.”
- “There is no music in the game, which makes the experience feel empty.”
- “The absence of any musical score really detracts from the overall atmosphere.”
- “Without music, the game lacks the emotional depth that a good soundtrack could provide.”
atmosphere
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's atmosphere is characterized by a distinctive "men in black" vibe, which contributes to a cool and unique overall experience that players find appealing.
- “I also love the 'Men in Black' vibe—it adds a really cool and unique atmosphere to the whole game.”