Riverside returns in Project Zomboid Build 42, with its charm as a riverfront where neighborhoods, commercial streets, and wilderness collide. The town is a calmer destination compared to the likes of Louisville, yet its sprawling layout, renewed buildings, and tempting loot punish careless travelers. So, get ready for the journey ahead, as we dive deep into this zombie-infested territory.

Project Zomboid (Build 42) Riverside: An Overview

Riverside sits west of West Point and north of Rosewood, on the banks of the Ohio River. The release of Version 42.20 overhauled this town with new, unique buildings, consistent landscaping, and a stronger identity. Various Project Zomboid players generally describe Riverside as one of the calmer starting towns, making it accessible to new players without eliminating danger.

How to Get to Riverside in Project Zomboid (Build 42)

Arguably, the most straightforward way to reach Riverside fast is by selecting it as your spawn town. If you decide to spawn elsewhere, it’s advisable to bring a reliable, fully-fueled vehicle, as the journey can be fairly long. For instance, traveling from West Point to Riverside takes about 1 to 2 in-game hours, or 3 to 6 real-world minutes in Vanilla Project Zomboid, if you take the main northern highway. Alternatively, journeying from Rosewood to Riverside still takes roughly the same in-game travel time, but requires roughly 5 to 10 real-world minutes when taking the northern Route 3 route. So, bring a spare gas can, water, and a fallback plan should you need to complete the rest of the journey on foot.

How to Survive Riverside in Project Zomboid

Despite its calmer reputation, don’t mistake the relative silence for safety when staying in Riverside. So, start your survival expedition by choosing the ideal base location, especially if you’re planning an extended stay. Consider the gated neighborhood if you want to surround yourself with pre-built fences. Alternatively, the police-and-fire-station compound is considered one of the best base locations in Riverside, thanks to the structures that readily provide comfort and supplies for survivors. If not, search for buildings with few entrances while possessing a fairly abundant supply of storage containers and readily available resources. Also, the establishments should have as few entrances as possible to prevent the undead from aimlessly wandering into your new abode.

Use the River as an Asset

The Ohio River is perhaps Riverside’s answer to optimal survival. Here, players have access to infinite water, which means washing clothes, drinking, and fishing. Additionally, the nearby woods help support a sustainable lifestyle after utilities shut down. Project Zomboid players who wish to call Riverside home should build rain collectors, develop fishing and foraging skills, and stock containers in advance of shortages. While the river is a valuable asset, it’s only part of a complete survival solution. Remember, zombies can still approach from other directions, so it’s best not to put all your hopes in this water border.

Loot Smart, Survive Long

Riverside’s spread-out design encourages scavenging, but fast looting is the answer to long-term survival. So, plan your looting runs accordingly. For instance, it might be ideal to begin by collecting food from places like the General Store and the Conven-U-Mart. Then, move to gathering other important items, such as tools and weapons. Don’t forget to mark your map whenever you clear a particular building. Also, identify areas where the undead like to gather, especially when you’re a solo player. That way, it’s less likely to wander into those zombie-infested territories while you’re exploring the town.

Choose Your Battles

The Knox Event isn’t kind to human survivors, as zombies seem to spawn relatively everywhere, even in Riverside. So, crouch while scouting your next destination, as doing so would muffle your footsteps and reduce detection from the undead. Allies from Project Zomboid servers can also become distractions to divert a horde’s attention if the chances of survival become increasingly slim by the second. If combat becomes necessary, isolate zombies rather than attract crowds. Push, reposition, and use doors or fences to control encounters. Remember, success in Project Zomboid is often measured by how many days you live, not by kills.

Think Beyond Day One

While it seems like Riverside is a small yet bustling concrete jungle, don’t forget to take advantage of Mother Nature’s gifts to survive past day one of spawning into Knox Country. Thankfully, Project Zomboid Build 42 adds more reasons to plan your days by engaging in activities like farming and animal husbandry. So, cultivate farms, fish from the river, and build sustainable structures to support self-sufficiency. Raid Enigma Books, Riverside’s book store located at coordinates 6427x5261, for its skill books and magazines. That way, you’ll be more efficient with your skills, spending less time completing certain tasks while reducing the number of resources used.

Project Zomboid Riverside Points of Interest (POIs)

Although not as large as Louisville, Riverside has its fair share of lootable establishments. Like other towns, particularly when compared to Rosewood, this town’s structures are divided into two districts: the suburbs and the business sector. Each section has a set of POIs, which you can below with their accompanying map coordinates:

• School: 6498, 5436
• Church: 6566, 5373
• Lighthouse: 6334, 5207
• Police Station: 6084, 5249
• Police Station (United States River Patrol): 6095, 5214
• Fire Department: 6126, 5254
• Post Office (U.S. Mail Service): 6160, 5249
• Firefighter Building (Fire Tower): 6391, 5894
• Park Ranger Building (Riverside Ranger Station): 6999, 6026
• Water Tower: 5791, 5383
• Electric Substation: 6766, 6840
• Public Restroom: 3677, 5762
• Radio Relay Station: 4844, 6281
• Harbormaster Wharfinger's Office: 6292, 5331
• Bait Shop (Bait & Tackle): 3633, 5721
• General Store: 3683, 5744
• Gas Station: 3656, 5961
• Gas Station (Gas N More): 5418, 5871
• Gas Station (Gas 2 Go): 5855, 5369
• Laundromat (Coin Op Laundromat): 5919, 5389
• Grocery Store (Conven-U-Mart): 5931, 5390
• Bait Shop (Morris' Bait Shop): 5923, 5215
• Gas Station (Fossoil): 6065, 5303
• Grocery Store (Milk 'N' More): 6136, 5368
• Stylist (Haircuts N' More): 6138, 5351
• Liquor Store (Liquorty-Split): 6187, 5369
• Chiropractic Office (Back to the Nurture Chiropractic Services): 6191, 5364
• Electronics Store (Electron House): 6188, 5354
• VHS Store (Hit Vids!): 6205, 5347
• Furniture Store (Seat Yourself Furniture): 6333, 5261
• Grocery Store: 6355, 5295
• Clothing Store (Spitfire Fashion): 6371, 53120
• Office (Slimtax Accounting): 6369, 5318
• Hardware Store (Nails & Nuts): 6370, 5323
• Shoe Store (High Street Heels): 6372, 5297
• Clothing Store (Hugo Plush): 6345, 5267
• Sports Store (Time 4 Sport): 6350, 5264
• Grocery Store (Nourish Food Mart): 6368, 5260
• Laundromat (Laundr-O-Max): 6398, 5332
• Tailory (J.D. Clean & Tailor): 6420, 5303
• Clothing Store (Saucy): 6399, 5265
• Stylist (Hair O Genesis): 6410, 5261
• Office (Palm Travel): 6410, 5261
• Book Store (Enigma Books): 6427, 5261
• Furniture Store: 6451, 5302
• Toy Store: 6451, 5302
• Gift Store (Cally's Gifts): 6485, 5300
• Jewelry Store (Sheba Jewellers): 6488, 5263
• Clothing Store (Lola Limon): 6518, 5263
• Clothing Store (Filigree Fashions): 6515, 5241
• Clothing Store (Fashionabelle): 6516, 5233
• Office (Valu In$Urance): 6500, 5235
• Office (Ferry Ticket Office): 6538, 5187
• Camera Store (Photo ExPress): 6561, 5300
• CD Store (Mexx-Imum Records Music): 6555, 5297
• Candy Store (Candy Land): 6567, 5297
• Pet Store (Purrfect Barkner Pet Supplies): 6572, 5295
• Camping Store (The Bass Family Camping Store): 7139, 6147
• Grocery Stand (Farmer's Market): 7407, 6031
• Office (United Shipping Logistics): 6470, 5311
• Fish & Seafood Stands: 6275, 5317
• Fishing Gear Stand: 6272, 5330
• Butchering Stand: 6459, 5197
• Grocery Store/Farm (Rovert's Farm): 7391, 5921
• Supermarket (Gigamart): 6504, 5342
• Derelict Factory (C.G.E. Corp): 3858, 6201
• Auto Shop (Al's Auto Shop): 5541, 6063
• Self Storage (U-Store It): 5540, 6055
• Factory (Lectromax Manufacturing): 5570, 5899
• Wrecking Yard (Riverside Scrap Inc. Used Auto Parts): 5824, 5411
• Auto Shop (Baurzhan's Den Auto Shop Inc.): 5836, 5377
• Blacksmith (Griffin's Blacksmith Shop): 7347, 5952
• Restaurant (Beef Roundup): 3658, 5720
• Diner: 5424, 5914
• Country Club (West Maple Country Club): 5764, 6441
• Café: 6177, 6374
• Bar (Bar): 5900, 5416
• Fast Food Parlor (Burgers): 5946, 5245
• Fast Food Parlor (Spiffo's): 6129, 5304
• Restaurant (Sweet Pea Restaurant): 6192, 5345
• Arcade (Game Zone): 6215, 5352
• Gymnasium (Body Chisel Gym & Fitness): 6223, 5352
• Fast Food Parlor (Jolly Good Fish + Chips): 6289, 5317
• Steakhouse (Harbor Steakhouse): 6281, 5295
• Restaurant (Joe's Grill): 6347, 5341
• Theater (Theatre Felix): 6367, 5336
• Restaurant (Riparian Entertainment): 6359, 5207
• Restaurant: 6410, 5238
• Ice-Cream Parlor (Churns-R-Us): 6409, 5205
• Donut Shop (Dotty 4 Donuts): 6429, 5205
• Bar (Bar Sunset): 6395, 5182
• Pancake House (Pile O' Crepe): 6400, 5300
• Restaurant (Jimmy's): 6436, 5266
• Restaurant (Gusto D'Italia): 6464, 5258
• Bar (Nof's Bar): 6484, 5231
• Boat Club (Riverwood Boat Club): 6551, 5224
• Function Room (Riverside Meadows Community Function Room): 6796, 5333
• Restaurant (Le Relais Restaurant): 6545, 5297
• Ice Cream Stand: 6466, 5200
• Hot Dog Stands: 6459, 5209
• Hotel (Riverside's Finest Motel): 7148, 6092
• Hotel (Riverside Suites): 6234, 5226
• Medical Clinic (Pharmahug): 6478, 5261
• Medical Center (Children's Medical Center): 6660, 5255