Key Insights Before embarking on Roadside Research: Completing & Solving

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Roadside Research is a quirky single-player or cooperative gas station simulator with a twist. You and your co-workers are aliens studying humans while trying to avoid detection by the Men in Black, who often show up unexpectedly and take an interest in your activities.

Your tasks include observing human behavior, predicting what they will buy, and recording their appearances. At the same time, you need to run a successful gas station and stay out of trouble. There are strange features, upgrades, and alien investments to explore. Our beginner tips will help you get started in Roadside Research.

Since the game is currently in Early Access, some details might change later on.

Don’t Get Hit by a Car

It might seem obvious, but it’s surprisingly easy to get run over in the full version of Roadside Research. In the demo, collisions don’t cause damage, but the developers wanted a real challenge for the full game. Standing too far into the road when at the gas pump can result in a car crashing into you and ending your run.

While this doesn’t hurt you because you respawn instantly, it can make your life harder by raising suspicion levels, leading to messes to clean up and suspicious customers. So, stay out of the road whenever you’re pumping gas.

Keep It Clean

Customers prefer a clean, welcoming environment, but they also tend to be messy themselves. Some dirty spots are obvious, like the bathroom and gas pumps, which emit a green cloud when dirty, indicating it’s time to clean. However, not all dirt is so obvious.

The store entrance, parking lot, and cashier’s desk can get dirty too, even if you don’t see signs like green clouds or flies. If customers seem unhappy with the cleanliness and you notice no obvious mess, grab a sponge and give everything a quick clean—especially the cashier’s desk, which often gets overlooked.

Pro tip: Don’t wait for areas to be filthy before cleaning. Regular maintenance keeps suspicion low and your station shiny.

Be Very Sneaky

Part of your job involves taking photos of customers as they visit, using a camera that you unlock during gameplay. You are given three targets at the start of the day, and with the camera, you must photograph each one without being noticed.

You must remain unseen by the customer you’re photographing, but also avoid eye contact from any other customers. Anyone witnessing your spying will raise suspicion on your station. Even if the targeted customer spots you, the suspicion increases with any witnesses to your sneaking.

Watch Out for Game Glitches

Since the game is in early access, bugs can happen. One common issue is losing items when they’re dropped outside of their designated tool areas. For example, if you carry a camera, sponge, or extra supplies outside, they might end up scattered in the parking lot if you don’t place them correctly.

If you lose an item, check the surrounding area before panicking. It’s normal to experience some glitches at this stage.

Adjust Prices Carefully

You can tweak product prices from the beginning, but you might worry about upsetting customers. However, small, gradual price increases often go unnoticed or are tolerated. Avoid making drastic jumps—adding a large amount all at once can anger customers.

If a price increase causes complaints, simply lower it back down and adjust more subtly next time. The “Hypnotic Image Projector” device can help customers accept larger price hikes, but it may also attract suspicion, so use it wisely.

Manage Resell and Refunds

Buying items in bulk and then upgrading can lead to frustration, especially if you lose money upgrading later. Luckily, when you delete items through the construction menu, you get full reimbursement of the cost.

To do this, enter “Edit Mode” in the construction menu, select the item you want to remove, and get your money back. It makes managing your supplies much easier.

Simplify Payments with an ATM

Accidentally giving away too much change at checkout can be costly. Installing an ATM encourages customers to use their card instead of cash, speeding up the checkout process and preventing accidental freebies—saving you pennies over time.

Be Careful When Shooting

As your alien points increase, you unlock new tech to use against customers—some humorous, some harmful. Use caution with your alien weaponry because attacking agents or witnesses can lead to immediate retaliation.

For example, if you shoot a Men in Black agent with a laser gun, you’ll quickly be assassinated once they wake up. While it might seem funny, getting taken out is no joke, and it could end your game prematurely.