I know it's probably too late now...
I know it's probably biased towards the console user, but I can only really speak as a console user. If you ask me the console user has had a bit of a rough ride in the realm recently. Pc users reaping the rewards as it were. Obviously they're going to disagree, who wouldn't? Maybe even down-right deny it, but it's fact.
It'd be cool, in the future, if you happen to try something similar to this particular template again, if you could set the controls so that the 2nd controller could be set to control the players pet or a secondary character. Like a body-guard facility.
The idea's inspired by FF8, which was and still is, one of my personal favourites. The camera would obviously have to follow the player around, but the ability to properly utilize the pet system would be pretty decent. The system in place isn't necessarily terrible, I just think there are some thing's you shouldn't leave to a computer.