I'm sorry you're having issues with the controller. May I ask what type of controller you're using? Is it possible for you to describe exactly what is happening when you press buttons?
(Sorry if this sounds silly, I just want to understand what may be going wrong with the code.)
I definitely need to add a button to open the inventory, that is a mistake on my part.
As for picking up items from the ground, does 'Y'/'Triangle' not work?
Thank you for trying out the game and for mentioning the issues you've experienced with the game. ♥