All Game Items
No Traditional Items
Limbo is a minimalist puzzle-platformer that deliberately lacks any traditional items—no weapons, armor, consumables, materials, currencies, or inventory system. The game’s entire design revolves around environmental interaction and trial-and-error puzzle solving. Instead of picking up or managing items, the player uses objects that are permanently placed in each level as tools to overcome obstacles. The only items that exist are hidden collectibles (called “secrets”) that unlock an alternate ending and an achievement. Below is a comprehensive guide to every interactive element and collectible in the game.
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Interactive Objects (Puzzle Elements)
These objects are not “collected” but are essential for completing puzzles. Each appears in specific levels and is used by the player character (the boy) via simple context-sensitive actions (e.g., pushing, pulling, moving, climbing, activating).
Boxes
Description: Wooden crates of various sizes. Some are hollow, some are solid. They can be pushed horizontally or pulled vertically.
How to Obtain: Already present in the environment—usually in the puzzle room where they are needed. No acquisition required.
Usefulness: Boxes are the most versatile tool in Limbo. They are used to:
- Climb to higher ledges.
- Block or activate switches.
- Float on water (hollow boxes act as rafts).
- Counterweight platforms (place on one side of a seesaw).
- Shield the boy from falling objects or enemy projectiles.
Synergies/Upgrades: No upgrades exist; boxes are permanent but can be destroyed by crushing or falling hazards.
Ropes
Description: Hanging ropes that the boy can grab, climb up/down, and swing on. Some are fixed, others can be cut with a saw or pulled by a winch.
How to Obtain: Already hanging in the environment.
Usefulness:
- Climb vertical gaps.
- Swing across chasms (timing is key).
- Pulled by a counterweight or winch to raise platforms or open gates.
Synergies: Often used in combination with boxes (place a box on a platform raised by a rope).
Winches & Cranks
Description: Hand-cranked mechanisms that reel in ropes or move platforms horizontally/vertically. Some are fixed, others can be detached and moved.
How to Obtain: Usually found beside the rope or platform they control.
Usefulness:
- Raise or lower platforms by turning the crank.
- Pull heavy objects (e.g., a cart) along a track.
Synergies: The boy must hold the crank while standing on a moving platform—be careful not to fall off.
Levers & Buttons
Description: Floor buttons that trigger immediate actions (e.g., opening a door, activating a magnet) and levers that switch states (e.g., change direction of a conveyor).
How to Obtain: Always present in the puzzle area.
Usefulness:
- Buttons often require a box to hold them down (so the boy can move freely).
- Levers toggle between two modes (e.g., magnet on/off).
Synergies: Box + Button = permanent activation until box is moved.
Seesaws & Counterweights
Description: Teeter-totter platforms that tilt based on weight. Also seen as elevated platforms that lower when a heavy object (or the boy) stands on one side.
How to Obtain: Built into the level geometry.
Usefulness:
- Propel the boy to higher areas by jumping from the rising side.
- Activate switches on the opposite side by placing a weight.
Synergies: Combine with boxes to create a counterweight.
Gravity Machine (Magnetic Device)
Description: A large mechanical device that can reverse gravity in a localized area when activated. It emits a distinct hum and has a central button.
How to Obtain: Found in two late-game puzzle sections.
Usefulness:
- Inverts gravity, allowing the boy to walk on ceilings.
- Moves metal objects (but no metal objects exist in Limbo—only the boy and boxes are affected).
Synergies: Use in combination with timed jumps to reach normally inaccessible areas.
Conveyor Belts
Description: Moving belts that carry objects (or the boy) in a fixed direction. Some have gaps or spikes above them.
How to Obtain: Built into the environment.
Usefulness:
- Transport boxes to specific locations.
- Carry the boy through spiked sections if timed correctly.
Synergies: Use a box to block a conveyor’s gap or to weigh down a switch on the belt.
Ladders & Catwalks
Description: Climbable ladders and metal walkways. Usually stationary, but some ladders can be moved (pushed horizontally).
How to Obtain: Already placed or found leaning against walls.
Usefulness:
- Access high ledges.
- Bridge gaps when used as a horizontal platform.
Synergies: Ladders can be used as improvised bridges over small pits.
Water & Floating Objects
Description: Bodies of water (drowning hazard) that allow certain objects to float. The boy can swim but drowns after a short time. Floating boxes serve as rafts.
How to Obtain: Water is always present in its section; floating objects are often boxes.
Usefulness:
- Boat across flooded areas.
- Submerge to avoid electric shocks (temporary).
Synergies: Use a hollow box as a raft; the boy can stand on it and paddle by moving.
Sawblades & Crushers (Environmental Hazards)
Description: Not items the boy can pick up, but they are key obstacles. Some moving hazards can be manipulated (e.g., stopping a crusher by placing a box).
How to Obtain: They are always present.
Usefulness:
- To be avoided or used to cut ropes/blockages.
Synergies: Use a box to block a crusher’s path, creating a temporary safe zone.
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Hidden Collectibles (Secrets)
Limbo contains 10 hidden objects (often called “secrets” or “eggs”) scattered throughout the game. They are small, glowing, mechanical devices that emit a faint light and are often tucked away in hard‑to‑reach corners or behind cleverly disguised walls. Collecting all 10 unlocks a secret ending and an achievement/trophy.
How to Obtain
Each secret is found by deviating from the main path. Look for:
- An unusual arrangement of background elements (e.g., a slightly different tree branch).
- A small opening behind a waterfall or rock.
- A puzzle that, if solved in a specific way, opens a hidden area.
- Walls that can be pushed aside (some surfaces are false).
List of All Secrets
| # | Level (Approximate) | Location | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Title Screen Area (after waking up) | Immediately after the first puzzle (pull the box). Instead of going right, climb the ladder and walk left across the tree trunk to a hidden cave. | A glowing orb on a small pedestal. |
| 2 | Forest (Spider Area) | After the hanging corpse puzzles, before the spider chase. Drop down behind a falling log to find a secret. | Orb under a rocky overhang. |
| 3 | Underground Cavern (Bear Traps) | In the room with multiple bear traps hanging from chains. Jump onto a small ledge above the entrance to the next area. | Orb behind a breakable wall. |
| 4 | Factory (See-Saw and Water) | After using boxes to cross a lake, go left instead of following the platform. There is a hidden gap behind a waterfall. | Orb on a high ledge. |
| 5 | Gravity Machine Section (First Use) | In the room where you first activate the gravity machine, after flipping it on, jump into the upper left corner (gravity reversed). | Orb floating near the ceiling. |
| 6 | Gravity Machine Section (Second Use) | In a subsequent room with multiple gravity zones. Walk on the ceiling and find a hidden alcove behind a vertical shaft. | Orb inside a hollowed‑out gear. |
| 7 | Conveyor Belt & Crusher | After traversing the crusher room, look for a vent opening high on the wall. Use boxes to reach it. | Orb on a small platform inside the vent. |
| 8 | Moonlight / Swamp (Lever Room) | In a puzzle area with a long lever and moving platforms, backtrack to a previous room and look for a hidden passage behind a ceiling grate. | Orb behind a false wall. |
| 9 | Elevator and Electro‑Magnet Section | After using the magnet to move a platform, ride the elevator up but jump off early to a hidden ledge on the left. | Orb near a sparking wire. |
| 10 | Final Section (Pre‑ending) | In the room with multiple parallel platforms and a large gear. Drop down into the darkness beneath the last platform instead of climbing up. | Orb in a pit (requires careful descent). |
Usefulness
- Story: Collecting all 10 reveals a short bonus scene after the credits.
- Achievements/Trophies: Unlocks “No Point in Dreaming” (or similar) on most platforms.
- No In‑Game Benefit: The secrets do not affect gameplay, health, or abilities. They are purely collectible rewards for exploration.
- Secrets are missable. There is no chapter select in the standard version, so you must collect them all in one playthrough or use save‑game editing (PC).
- The game does not track how many you’ve found—rely on your memory or a guide.
- Some secrets require solving optional puzzles (e.g., using the gravity machine to reach a ceiling alcove).
Important Notes
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Summary
Limbo contains no weapons, armor, potions, money, materials, or traditional inventory. The only “items” you will ever encounter are:
1. Interactive Objects: Boxes, ropes, winches, levers, buttons, gravity machines, etc. – all permanently placed in the world and used to solve puzzles.
2. Hidden Collectibles: 10 glowing secrets that unlock an alternate ending but have no functional effect.
By mastering the use of these environmental tools, you will traverse the dark world of Limbo. There are no upgrades or synergies beyond the immediate puzzle at hand—each object is used exactly as the developers intended, and creative problem‑solving is rewarded.
Remember: Limbo is a game of observation and trial. All the “items” you need are already in the world around you.