I recently picked up a copy of Fire Emblem: Three Houses. At forty hours into my first playthrough, I’m loving it. The characters, the world, the story – it’s all great. The battle system feels fluid, the missions are fun, and it’s my favorite installation in the series so far.
But there’s one thing that stands out to me and makes the game nigh-unplayable: the inability to pet any animals.
If you know anything about Three Houses, you’re probably aware that much of the game takes place in a monastery called Garreg Mach. It’s an impressive building that’s teeming with life, and not just human life. The map also abounds with cats, dogs, horses, and even owls. It gives the setting a very lifelike feel.
It also fills me with unfathomable rage that I can’t pet any of them. Not a single one.
Would letting players pet animals add anything of substance to Three Houses? Probably not. Would it make me indescribably happy? Yes. A thousand times yes. It breaks my heart every time that I have to pass by a cat sunning itself or a dog sniffing around for food and I can’t stop to give it a pat and say hi. Stopping by the stables feels incomplete without the ability to stroke the nose of a horse. And while I know petting owls isn’t a good idea in real life, years of reading and watching Harry Potter has really made me want to try – at least in a game.
While I know it’s unlikely, I’m still holding out hope that a future update to Fire Emblem: Three Houses will let me indulge my desire to stroke a friendly critter. It would be an easy way to get players like me to spend even more time on the game, since I know I’d never be able to pass an opportunity by.
