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Deathloop purple objects – what do they do?

Deathloop's shimmering purple objects are key to surviving and breaking the loop of Blackreef

Colt can be seen shooting some enemies.

Deathloop has a number of mysteries hidden within the island of Blackreef but one of the earliest curiosities is the wide selection of purple shimmering objects that can be found around the four districts of the island. These objects are visible from the very moment you wake up on the shores of Blackreef, but there isn’t any guidance or tutorials telling you what they are for initially, which can be quite bewildering.

This is one of the very few features in the game that isn’t explained to the player in great detail and unless you connect the dots ahead of time, you likely won’t know what these purple objects are for as you can’t interact with them early on.

But fear not, we’re here to explain what the Deathloop purple objects are and what they’ll eventually help you unlock. Read on for more information, including how they tie into the resource of Residuum, and why they are important objects to hunt for at every opportunity. 

What are the Deathloop purple objects?

The purple shimmering objects in Deathloop are objects that hold the key to progress in Deathloop, but you won’t be able to interact with them until you complete the main quest, The Longest Day.

This quest concludes with you being able to absorb Residuum, a resource found throughout Blackreef. And, as it turns out these purple shimmering objects are actually Residuum-infused objects that you can interact with and absorb Residuum from.

This Residuum will allow you to infuse weapons, trinkets and slabs, letting you carry them over between loops so that you don’t lose them when you die and reset the loop.

All you have to do is hold the interact button when looking at the purple shimmering objects. Once the circle fills, you will absorb the Residuum, allowing you to use it when you next escape to the tunnels under Blackreef. Residuum-infused objects can range from paintbrushes to skateboards to tires. All you have to do is explore and look for them shinning in the environment.

That covers the purple shimmering objects in Deathloop and should hopefully answer all your questions about them. Be sure to stay tuned for more guides that will help you out later in the game. You can read our thoughts on the game in our Deathloop review for PS5 by clicking on the link.