Confused. How do I use the Inventory?

[Pfff-Pow]

I found the inventory menu. I purchased inventory. I tried sitting at a bench to equip it. Nothing. What key do you press, for example, to equip the city crest? Or the key?

[LuckyCheshire]

Those are items that you use in specific places, not stuff you equip.

[sekai]

"Key" items are used automatically when you interact with the right stuff, such as a specific door an unique key is supposed to go into, by "speaking" to it like you would a NPC. In the case of the city crest, it's supposed to be matched with a certain statue (minor spoiler).

The doors and whatnot that is expecting a key item will always be interact-able, and it will tell you what kinda object they're expecting (albeit a little vague but for the most part it shouldn't cause too much problem... until some of the late game stuff anyway...); and if you already have it then it will be automatically slided on and magic happens.

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You can check your inventory by pressing the dedicated inventory button, such as "I" key (if on keyboard and mouse, idk the default controller key), and then either map, inventory, charm, or Hunter's Journal will pop up.

You can navigate and interact the pages using arrow keys and the interact button as per normal affair.

Whichever page turns up, pay attention to the left and right hand side of the page and you should see 2 arrow keys; a big "<" on left and a big ">" on right. You can cycle between the 4 aforementioned menus by smashing either the left or the right directional buttons.

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Also, on the inventory page you will see well, your inventory. Your nail upgrade level, your current spells, currently holding key items (once used they will disappear), reuseable magic items (permanent items), etc.

You can NOT use anything in that page per se, it's strictly for information only.

Every thing in the inventory will be activated either passively (always on), requiring specific button presses to activate (spells for instance), or the aforementioned one-use key item that will be consumed if you interact with the correct objects they're supposed to go to.

Usually the key item's icons, descriptions, or location they're found may indicate where they are supposed to go to.

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EDIT: fixing info.

[sekai]

Also, not sure if you know but your charm menu while can be seen by pressing the inventory button, but you can only equip or unequip charms while sitting on a bench.

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There are also 2 ways to access the map. But they are slightly different.

The first is a comprehensive map via inventory, it will show the global map which you can zoom into any local map of choice, and you can also place pins in this mode.

The other is a separate button that ONLY shows only the local map of where you are physically at currently. You will also have to hold the button down to keep the map up. It's local map only, that you can not place pins, but your characters can still walk while reading this map. It's basically a cheat sheet map.

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EDIT: fixing info

[Pfff-Pow]

Thank you for this comprehensive information! I really appreciate it!

[sekai]

Just remember some "key" items are indiscriminate and/or re-useable.

"Simple keys" will fit into any "simple lock", so it's not a specific key for a specific door thing. Any simple key you find can fit into any simple lock you come across. You will have the options to choose whether you use this key or not; it will ask you when you interact with any lock mechanism so you won't accidentally blow it or something. The key however DOES get consumed during the unlock process so sometimes you might not want to use it straight away and you wanna reserve it for another thing you want to unlock first.

Then there's the ticket for trams (minor spoiler). That will work to unlock any station you come across. It WON'T get consumed during the process. There's only 1 such ticket in the game so you may consider that more of a special magic item or reuseable items like a lamp or something than it is a key item.

Speaking of a lamp. You do get a lamp in the game. It's one of those "always on" items that you don't need to do anything to use. The character will take out the lamp from inventory themselves when it gets dark.

Just remember the game has no "equip" action. Anything you find or are granted just adds to the 4 core mechanics of movement, attack, spells, and "interaction" that may require additional key presses or a new designated key or is just there but you never need to apply anything yourself. Consider that they are already applied. They are more like unlocked power than items if that makes sense.

The game's inventory and item system should be mostly straightforward once you know how it works.