Well, basicaly what im saying is that you cant make companions "more like in BG-2" since they dont fit here ...
Maybe except Minsc and Jaheira, who obviously have their own reasons to go where you are going.
From what i read here it seems to me like (and i repeat i didnt play it, so i only judge based on what i heared here and how i understand it) they all had common goal, but basicaly nothing holded the party together, any single one of them could easily just depart from the others and go his/hers own way towards the same goal.
So the party stuck together, bcs they either want to ... or at least didnt mind it.
Thats not the case in BG-3 ... we and our companions are tied together by tadpole, we all have it as our first priority (for different reason, and yes only after we search that suspicious room full of crates that may contain some interesting loot, but i digress) ...
From BG-3 companions there is, to me at least, quite clear message that nobody is comfortable with being forced into this party, we are all basicaly forced together.
Therefore it can never be the same, bcs whole situation and motivations for them are quite different.
It's an interesting take and to some extent I think you're right here.
There was a common goal for your "default" members[those who are imprisoned with you at the start of BG2 by Irenicus]. But if you decided to drop them or your actions made them leave your side you could always find other people who would follow you just because you were a child of Bhaal.
Other characters were motivated either by greed ( evil characters) or some more noble sentiment ( like Anomen or Keldorn).
Here we are indeed forced together(For now?!).
