Following the River

Key takeaways

Keep these points in mind before starting the mission.

• This is a character mission Following the River contains little conventional combat. Most of the content is conversation, exploration around the family property, and a short family activity.
• The water tower is the decisive scene River’s private conversation at the water tower is where the mission’s romantic direction becomes clearest. Dialogue choices there matter more than the earlier family gathering.
• The mission can be completed without romance A V who is not eligible for River’s romance, or who declines his advances, can still complete the mission and receive its normal completion reward.
• It follows River’s investigation arc The mission is part of River Ward’s chain, so completing I Fought the Law is the important progression requirement rather than a combat level or equipment threshold.

Following the River

Following the River is a low-combat character mission centered on River Ward, his family, and the possibility of a romantic relationship with him.

Following the River becomes available after V has completed I Fought the Law and continued building a connection with River Ward. Rather than sending V into another investigation or firefight, the mission asks V to meet River in a more personal setting and spend time with his family. Its tone is deliberately quieter than River’s earlier missions, with conversation, food, games, and a trip away from the immediate pressure of Night City’s investigations.

The mission takes place around River’s family home and a nearby water tower. V joins River and his relatives for an evening gathering, participates in a hide-and-seek game with the children, and later follows River to the tower for a private conversation. The activity is mostly linear, but the dialogue choices and V’s relationship eligibility affect how the final scene develops.

Following the River is also River Ward’s romance mission. The romantic outcome is conditional rather than guaranteed: V must meet the romance requirements associated with River’s path and choose supportive, interested dialogue during the later conversation. Players who do not meet those requirements can still complete the family visit and finish the mission without entering a relationship.

Where this sits

Requirements

Complete River Ward’s preceding mission and respond to his invitation when it becomes available.

• RequiredComplete I Fought the LawThis is the known progression gate for Following the River. River’s invitation follows the events of that mission.
• RequiredAnswer River’s invitationThe mission begins when V accepts the opportunity to meet River and his family.
• OptionalRomance eligibilityMeeting River’s romance requirements is only necessary for the romantic outcome, not for completing the mission itself.

Objectives

1. Meet River Ward at the family homeTravel to the meeting point and begin the family visit.
2. Spend time with River’s familyFollow the available prompts and participate in the gathering rather than leaving the area.
3. Play hide-and-seek with the childrenSearch the property for the children while following the mission markers and environmental clues.
4. Join the family for dinnerReturn to the family after the game and take part in the meal.
5. Climb the water tower with RiverFollow River away from the house for the mission’s private conversation.
6. Decide how to respond to RiverUse the final dialogue choices to accept, decline, or leave the romantic direction unresolved.

WalkthroughSpoilers

1. 01

   Meet River Ward

   Meet River at the family home

   Travel to the location marked by the quest and speak with River to start the visit. The opening conversation establishes that this is a social evening rather than another police investigation, so there is no need to arrive with a combat plan.

   Location: River’s family home

   TipMake a manual save before speaking with River if you want to test different dialogue outcomes.

2. 02

   Spend time with River’s family

   Join the family gathering

   Follow River into the property and speak with the family members who approach V. Move through the available conversations before advancing the evening; this is the mission’s main opportunity to learn about River outside his work.

   Location: The family property

3. 03

   Play hide-and-seek with the children

   Accept the hide-and-seek game

   When River’s relatives invite V to play, accept the activity and follow the objective marker into the search section. The game is not a timed combat challenge, and the children are found by checking the marked parts of the property rather than by fighting enemies.

   Location: Around the family home

   Watch outDo not wander far from the marked search area, because moving away from the property can interrupt the active objective.

4. 04

   Find the children

   Search the marked hiding places

   Look around the house and nearby structures for the children while using the quest indicators to narrow the search. If a hiding place appears empty, continue through the marked locations instead of treating the search as failed; the sequence advances after the children are located.

   Location: The grounds surrounding the home

5. 05

   Join the family for dinner

   Return for dinner

   After the game ends, go back to the family and follow the prompt to join the meal. The dinner scene is primarily about dialogue, so listen to the exchanges and choose responses that match the relationship you want V to have with River.

   Location: The family home

   TipIf you are pursuing River romantically, avoid dismissive responses during the family scenes and keep V’s tone receptive.

6. 06

   Go with River to the water tower

   Follow River to the water tower

   When River leaves the gathering, follow him toward the water tower rather than returning to the house or leaving the mission area. The route is an ordinary traversal section; climb the structure using the available ladder and platforms when River reaches it.

   Location: The water tower

   Watch outThe private conversation and its dialogue choices are the important part of the mission’s romance path, so do not skip the interaction after reaching the top.

7. 07

   Talk to River

   Talk privately with River

   Speak with River at the top of the tower and continue through the conversation. The scene shifts from family introductions to River’s feelings and his interest in V, making these responses more consequential than the earlier small talk.

   Location: Top of the water tower

8. 08

   Respond to River

   Resolve the relationship

   Choose the dialogue that reflects V’s intentions. An eligible V who responds positively can begin River’s romance path, while a rejecting or non-eligible response completes the mission without that relationship outcome.

   Location: Top of the water tower

   Watch outThe romantic direction cannot be recovered by ordinary exploration after the scene has ended; reload an earlier save if you want to change the final outcome.

9. 09

   Finish Following the River

   Complete the mission

   Finish the remaining conversation and wait for the mission-completion state to trigger. The conclusion awards the mission’s associated reward and advances River’s personal storyline, with the exact personal aftermath depending on V’s relationship choice.

   Location: Water tower and family property

   Checkpoint

Mission mechanics

Following the River is built around a controlled social sequence rather than an open-ended activity loop. Quest markers guide V between the family home, the search area, the dinner scene, and the water tower. The hide-and-seek section uses exploration and observation instead of combat, and there is no known boss encounter or required enemy arena in the mission.

The mission’s meaningful system is dialogue gating. River’s romance is not created simply by arriving at the water tower; V must be eligible for the path and then answer in a way that communicates interest. Players who choose a friendly but non-romantic response can still preserve the mission’s broader conclusion without turning the relationship into a romance.

The environment also provides context for River’s character. Meeting his relatives and taking part in an ordinary family activity contrasts with his role as a police officer and investigator, while the water-tower scene gives him a private setting in which to speak directly with V. The mission therefore rewards attention to conversations more than equipment preparation.

What works and what does not

Phases

1. 1

   Family arrival

   Starts: V meets River at the family property.

   No combat health state

   River introduces V to his family and the mission establishes its domestic, conversational tone.

   • Explore only within the marked property while the introductions are active.
   • Use dialogue to learn more about River and his relatives.
2. 2

   Hide-and-seek

   Starts: The children invite V to participate in the game.

   No combat health state

   V searches the grounds for the children using quest markers and nearby hiding places.

   • Check the marked locations around the home and nearby structures.
   • Leaving the search area can interrupt the objective.
3. 3

   Dinner

   Starts: The search sequence ends and the family gathers again.

   No combat health state

   V joins the family meal and continues the relationship-building conversations.

   • Romance-minded players should keep responses supportive and interested.
   • The mission does not require weapons or consumables here.
4. 4

   Water-tower conversation

   Starts: River asks V to follow him away from the family gathering.

   No combat health state

   River and V speak privately, and dialogue determines whether the romance path begins.

   • Save before starting the final conversation if you want to test alternate responses.
   • Reach the top of the tower and complete the conversation rather than leaving the area.

Choices and consequencesSpoilers

• Respond positively to River’s romantic interest at the water tower

  If V meets the romance eligibility requirements, the conversation can begin River’s romance path and leads into its associated personal aftermath.

  Spoiler
• Decline River or answer in a non-romantic way

  V completes the mission without starting a romantic relationship with River. The family visit and mission progression still conclude normally.

  Spoiler
• Complete the family activities without pursuing romance

  The mission remains available as River’s character-focused side story even when V is not eligible for, or does not want, the romance outcome.

Checklist

• Complete I Fought the Law before expecting River’s invitationThis is the progression prerequisite.
• Create a save before the water-tower conversationUseful if you want to review different dialogue outcomes.Optional
• Meet River at the family home
• Finish the hide-and-seek activitySearch the marked parts of the property for the children.
• Join the family dinner
• Follow River to the water tower
• Decide whether V wants a romantic relationship with RiverThe choice is made through dialogue and romance eligibility.
• Confirm the mission-completion state before leaving

Failure conditions

• Leave the active mission area during a guided objectiveMoving too far from the family property or search area can interrupt the current objective and require V to return to the marker.
• Fail to complete the water-tower conversationThe relationship outcome is decided through the final conversation. Leaving before the scene concludes can prevent the intended result from registering.
• Miss the mission in the wider storylineFollowing the River is tied to River Ward’s side-mission chain and is missable if the relevant invitation or progression window is not pursued.

Rewards

• Crash
  Completing Following the River awards River Ward’s iconic revolver, Crash.
• River Ward relationship progression
  The mission advances River’s personal storyline and, for an eligible V who chooses the relevant dialogue, can begin his romance path.

Characters in this mission

• River WardV’s host and the central character in the mission.

AftermathSpoilers

Trivia

• The mission deliberately shifts River Ward’s role from investigator and police officer to brother, uncle, and host.
• The water tower serves as a quiet location for the private conversation that follows the family gathering.
• The mission’s central challenge is recognizing the importance of dialogue choices rather than defeating a named enemy.

Relationships