They should implement better those sidequest IMO.
They felt like a distraction in DMS/DF.
In DMS, most of the game was the main plot, and you have 2-3 side missions coming from nowhere. They don't fill well with the rest of the game.
In DF, there is more side mission, but once again, you have the main plot right from the start, and then you are in deep need of money, so you have to get side mission to get money for moving forward into the main plot. Even if they are well done, they feel like a distraction from what you are supposed to do.
If they want to keep side mission, they should probably put more emphasis on them early on, and slowly introduce the main plot piece by piece. So instead of having side plots coming in the way of the main plot, you would have the main plots introduced amongs the side plots.