DERELIKT Inventory Guide: Grid, Ammo Stacks and Medkits
How the DERELIKT grid inventory works, why ammo stacks take a slot, how to merge medkits and when to dump loot at the hub.
DERELIKT uses a grid inventory in the Resident Evil tradition: every item has a shape, every shape takes space, and the space is never enough. The game does not explain the stacking rules, and the first hour is usually spent dropping pistol ammo to make room for a quest item.
The grid is also the reason the game's save stations matter. The hub storage box is the only place to dump loot, and the levels between hubs are long.
Carry weight decides which guns you keep, and the weapons guide→ ranks them by ammo efficiency.
How the grid works
- The inventory is a fixed grid. The starting size is small, and upgrades add rows rather than slots.
- Ammo stacks take a slot per partial stack. A full stack of shells is one item; two half stacks are two items.
- Medkits merge. Two small medkits combine into one large medkit, which frees a slot and heals more.
- Quest items cannot be dropped. The battery, the cube and the reactor key all occupy space until used.
- Weapons take grid space too. Carrying all nine is not possible.
The single most useful habit is to keep ammo in full stacks. Before you pick up a new box, check whether it will start a second stack; if it will, use the partial stack first.
Starting layout and upgrades
| Stage | Grid | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Start | Small | Pistol, crowbar, one ammo stack, one medkit |
| After Level 1 | Same | Quest items start competing for space |
| After Level 4 | Upgraded | Hub bench adds rows |
| After Level 8 | Upgraded again | Enough space for two long guns and loot |
The upgrades are not optional purchases; they are story rewards. The hub bench applies them when you return with the right item.
What to carry
A practical loadout for the mid-game:
- One sidearm (pistol or Worm).
- One long gun (shotgun or rifle, not both until the grid is upgraded).
- Two ammo stacks for each carried gun.
- Two medkits, merged if possible.
- Quest items.
- One free row for loot.
The rifle and shotgun compete for space until the second grid upgrade. The usual choice is the rifle for the surface and the shotgun for the station, with the other left in the hub box.
The merge is free and instant. Two small medkits in two slots become one large medkit in one slot, which is both a heal and a slot.
The hub storage box
The Exo Labs hub has the only reliable storage box. It is not shared with the other save stations, so anything you leave there stays there until you return.
- Store duplicate weapons, not ammo. Ammo is weightless in practice; weapons are not.
- Store quest items you have not used yet only if the box accepts them; most are flagged and cannot be stored.
- Empty the box before the reactor. The hub locks.
Players who hoard in the box and then enter the reactor lose everything in it, permanently, for that save.
Common inventory problems
| Problem | Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Item will not pick up | No free grid shape | Drop a partial ammo stack, then pick up |
| Medkits will not merge | One is a large medkit | Only two small medkits merge |
| Weapon disappeared | Dropped for space | Check the hub box |
| Quest item stuck | Cannot be dropped | Finish the objective that uses it |
| Storage box empty after reload | Bug reported by players | Reload a save from before the box |
The storage box bug is real and was reported at launch. It does not delete quest items, but it can delete stored weapons. Keep a manual save from before you deposit anything valuable.
Inventory and achievements
The grid does not have its own achievement, but it gates two:
- Librarian: documents take space until read, and a full grid can block a pickup.
- Savior complex: some rescue items are quest objects that need a free slot.
If a document prompt does not appear, free a slot and approach again. The pickup trigger is disabled when the grid cannot fit the item, and the game does not always say so.
FAQ
Can I expand the inventory? Yes, through story upgrades at the hub bench.
Do ammo stacks merge automatically? No. You have to combine partial stacks manually.
Can I drop quest items? No. Plan for the battery and the cube taking space.
Is there a storage box in every level? No. The hub is the only reliable one.
GameScout's review spends a full section on the grid and the medkit merge, and it is the most detailed public description of the system outside the game itself.
Sources and further reading
The pages below are the sources this guide checks against. The store page and the developer's post are primary; the reviews are secondary and are used for enemy names, weapon names and the state of the game at launch.
- DERELIKT on Steam ↗ — the store page, system requirements and the 27-achievement list.
- Visuwyg's announcement post ↗ — the developer's own description of the outpost and the PS1 rendering work.
- GameScout's DERELIKT review ↗ — 6.5/10, with the most detailed breakdown of the game's bugs and hub loop.
Official source: Visuwyg — DERELIKT announcement post ↗, 8 September 2025.
"grafted onto an anomalous derelict asteroid in orbit around Saturn" — Visuwyg, DERELIKT announcement post, 2025