This whole linking up characters bit is very much a huge step backwards.
How is that significantly different than drawing a selection box around characters that you want to group together, etc?
there is also a lack of companion AI when they are not all player controlled ( SP and short-handed MP groups )
Why would they need AI? In turn based combat that would significantly drop the tactics available if companion characters acted on their own, and outside combat the only things suitable to automate would be selling wares, or offering to lockpick a door the lead character selects but can not open, etc.
The chain system also has no concept of group arrangement or follow/separation distance between linked members
D:OS 1 has a selection of party formations and in D:OS 2 that was expanded to allow a custom configuration where you could position specific characters within a grid of 17 slots, in addition to the list of formations.
