The start menu not coming back is a bug added with 0.3.3.1, it will be fixed in the next version.
When you use an item, you enter a use item context and need to hit the cancel key/button to go back to inventory.
In combat, again use the cancel key/button.
In the store you can cycle characters with the bumpers on the controller or page up/page down.
I know these aren't intuitive right now, especially if you are using mouse and keyboard, but the function is there.
Thanks for the feedback.
For the record, you're awesome! :) You uploaded 3.5 while I was in game with 3.3 and found the keyboard cancel key by experimenting (took me a bit to realize it was the ` key). It's not listed in Options > Keyboard. Then I got 3.5 and saw that the close button in the Load Menu now showed the keyboard shortcut instead of the gamepad button and there it was! lol. I saw there are a number of other fixes in 3.5 too. (Now one more thing: is the sword you get from the tavern... *looks around to make sure no one is listening* ... is it supposed to be extremely overpowered?)
