I'm also a little sad about the lack of non-main-storyline companions. It was pretty neat to run across some fellow down on his luck, follow a small tangential story to its completion, and then discover he wanted to tag along. I think those side stories added a lot to the game world, and helped create a connection with the quirky, lively inhabitants.
That said, I'm still having a lot of fun with the personalities and characters in Warriors of the North. Herring-guzzling lighthouse keepers, hungover friends feeling a bit fractious after an unfortunate theft after an evening of drinking, smugglers seeking tools to expand their storehouse of ill-gotten goods; there's still some fun writing and characters to be found.
The translation may(?) (I'm playing the English version) be the roughest one yet, but there's a lot of fun dialog and personality in there regardless.
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