I have no issue with a core 4 person party as long as I can hire additional mercs, tame beasts, have NPC’s for specific quests join, etc...
If we have enough free slot to hire merc or beast, I prefer to choose a "real" companion. For me, the real pleasure in this king of game is to create a party I love and to interact with them. Discussion, banters, conflict ... Mercenaries doesn't have a personality, they are boring ^^
