biggest issue with the current freeroam mode is that like half the map is covered in grass that hides the floor-character from view as soon as they're laid down.
The only place you can really do stuff without it being in the way is the dead centre of town.
Since this is (theoretically?) a stealth game, it feels counter-intuitive to be doing your stuff in front of everyone.
Ideally you'd have a bigger map and have one of each character on the map at any given time. That way you could program them to occasionally wander off on their own.
Set each character up with a special 'solo location' where nobody else goes, and set them to occasionally wander off to that location where they can be ambushed alone.
By which I mean... I get it. The actual 'sneaking up on people' gameplay is fairly minimal and unimportant compared to the rest of it, but you went and put a sneak-attack in the game.