With a map covering a decent portion of real-world Kentucky, Project Zomboid offers a lot of diversity regarding places you can loot.
As the name would imply, Riverside is located on the bank of a river that flows on the eastern side of the map. This makes it an excellent location to base in if you’re a fan of fishing. And if you’re not, the next update that will completely rework how fishing works, among a ton of other changes, might pull you into the art of catching fish. Let’s take a look at what makes Riverside tick and some of the places you should definitely loot.
General Tips and Tricks
Besides fishing, Riverside has plenty more to offer. It has a decent variety of buildings, giving you access to most of the loot in the game. As far as the zombie population goes, Riverside is pretty much in the middle. You won’t find hordes roaming every street corner but certain buildings will still present a challenge to clear.
All in all, Riverside is a great town to start in, since it has a rather low zombie population compared to the rest while still offering plenty of loot. And since it’s located on the riverbank, it’s also a great place for people who like boat mods. With a boat mod you can easily travel the river, giving you a safe way of accessing other towns like West Point or even reaching Louisville.
Points of Interest
Bar
Located in the northern part of the town, the Bar is a great place to get your hands on some much needed alcohol. Unless you’re running the More Traits mod and playing with the alcoholic trait, you don’t truly need alcohol in your runs. But they can offer some benefits. If your character can’t sleep for whatever reason a few drinks will put him to sleep in no time. Also, bourbon can replace the need for disinfectant if you’re worried about some of your wounds becoming infected.
To the east of the bar, there is also a small food market which might yield a few fruits and vegetables. Further to the east, there is also a small grocery store where you’ll land some kitchen utensils and cans of food. Directly to its north, there is a huge parking lot where you can get your hands on a good car, or even try to base out of that location since it’s fully surrounded by tall fences.
Gas Station/Police Station
I’ll be putting these two together since they’re right across from each other in the north exit of Riverside. Alongside refueling your car you can nab some cigarettes which are a necessity if you have the Smoker trait, as well as some sweets and other food items. Sadly, just like was the case for Muldraugh, Riverside has a very small police station. You’ll definitely find a gun or two and some ammo, but don’t expect anything amazing.
Hardware Store
Placed right into the middle of the town, making it quite a difficult place to loot if your zombie population is set on high or above, the hardware store can be worth the risk. If you find yourself missing certain tools like the much sought-after sledgehammer, you should definitely try to clear it. While there’s no guarantee you’ll find what you’re looking for, it’s still a good place to get some nails, planks and all types of tools. Right to the south-east of the store there is a small path surrounded by tall fences. This can be a useful spot to lure some zombies into and lose them by jumping the fence. Just make sure another horde isn’t waiting for you on the other side before you try this tactic.
School
Like any school you can find on the map, this is a great place to find a wide assortment of books. You can easily find it on the western side of town. So unless you have the Illiterate trait (which you really shouldn’t), definitely take a look inside this school’s library. Lockers that can be found in the hallways can also have some surprise loot, which can even include guns and ammo. And if you’re playing with a large group of people, it can even work as a decent base, although the large number of windows will require some barricading to secure it.
Gigamart
On the southern part of the city, you’ll find a Gigamart, which can land you a lot of canned foods. Despite the fact that most canned foods give you a low-calorie intake, they can still help out in a pinch if you want to make it past winter. Make sure to also check the storage area in the back of the store, since it will generally have a lot of dried food packages. And as a bonus, the Gigamart also has a pretty large parking lot that can help you find a car in working condition.
Gated Community
Covering most of the southern part of Riverside, the Gated Community is a great place to loot since it’s filled with plenty of homes surrounded by tall fences. This means that you don’t need to fully clear out the area as long as you know how to lose any zombies that are on your trail by jumping those fences. This area is also a great place to setup a base, with the real downside being that the gas station is on the other side of town. And if you want to build your own house, there is a park situated in the middle with plenty of empty space for a house as well as a large garden.
