Yes, that was the part I enjoyed about them. Taking a leisurely stroll with the NPCs, seeing scenery, not having to worry about a fiend suddenly attacking from behind, the few instances of fights were nice highlighted spots, so it was up to me whether I wanted to drag the NPCs around more or fight now. Having recently done parts of ARR again, it's something I was missing in comparison, that having the NPCs along, the connection to them instead of just meeting them at the next check point. I look forward to NG+, I want to make sure I didn't miss any optionals and take a few more screenshots.
The escort quests where a definite highlight for me.
