Riverside

"Welcome to Riverside HELL"

- Road Sign "The town's pretty quiet...I hope that means they killed all the zombies..."

- Zoey

Riverside is a small Pennsylvanian suburban community and is the setting for last three chapters of the Death Toll campaign takes place in Left 4 Dead.

History
The town whose population was around 3,450 was a quiet suburban community whose residents happily lived their day-to-day routines until these were destroyed by The Infection. Riverside is centered on its Main Street which betrays its 18th or 19th Century origins whilst following a typical contemporary American small town strip development with an eclectic mix of retail stores, low-rise office and commercial buildings and a movie theater.

Current Status
After the Infection broke out, the U.S. Military attempted to convert the town into a safe point. In default of "a better plan" the Survivors decide to strike out for Riverside and their journey to this town forms the basis of both the Crash Course and Death Toll campaigns. Unfortunately Riverside has been overrun by the time the Survivors get there. To their dismay, they find that not only has the military abandoned the town, but many of its personnel have become infected and form a significant component of the Common Infected now occupying the place. A notable aspect of Riverside is the Valley Church at which the Survivors make the acquaintance of the ever-paranoid "Church Guy" who has cracked under the psychological pressure and been "bitten" by an Infected. One way or another, he ends up ringing the church bell which triggering a Crescendo Event and obliges the Survivors to fight for their lives against waves of the Common and Special Infected. Riverside itself is densely populated with Common and Special Infected - including at least one Tank and Witch. The aforementioned Main Street was evidently designated a key defense point by the military and they set up a fixed machine gun and even went so far as to use combat engineers to build a vast earth and rubble barrier across the street.

Landmarks in Riverside

 * Riverside Park - Riverside Park is a picnic ground and swimming area just outside of the town. It has a cabin, a boathouse, and some docks, all of which the Survivors may move around on to defend themselves after summoning their rescue; the S.S. Saint Lidia II.
 * Riverside First Church - The Church is the location for the Crescendo Event at the end of Death Toll's third chapter. It is also the location of the "Church Guy".
 * Main Street - Once the heart of Riverside, the Main Street now lies in ruins. In the middle of Main Street, the road has been torn up to make a blockade in a failed effort to stop the advancing hoard of infected. Different places located along the Main Street include: a small office building, Fine Antiques, a movie theater, a barber shop, military surplus, 1st Bank and Trust (established in 1918), A & C Bookstore, and a diner.
 * Poppy Field Florist - a florist shop in Riverside that probably helps with selling and donating flowers to Riverside First Church and cemetery.
 * Quik Buy Convenience Store - near the edge of the town beside the church this convenience store is similar to it's counter-part, the Save 4 Less in Left 4 Dead 2.
 * Self Storage - there is a storage warehouse just off the Main Street where the survivors pass by on their way to Riverside Park.