Restricted Area allows players to choose from 4 characters. While this is a modest number of characters compared to some other RPG titles, what benefits does concentrating development on 4 highly unique and detailed characters have as opposed to offering a larger selection of characters or a character generator?

As you said, the benefit is that they are highly unique and detailed. Most RPGs offer several so-called classes to build a character from. While this is a good way for having lots of different figures ? important for example in a MMORPG ? the side effect is that the characters are missing a very important thing: character. They are just a bunch of body parts and clothes with different values and attributes, but they have no (or nearly no) background story and no unique abilities. You can think of Restricted Area as a movie with four main characters, and you are an actor which can choose which role you would like to play. The other characters will appear in the game as well, and ?AI actors? (or your friends) will play their roles. A major difference to a movie is of course that there?s no stroybook for what you do, only for the characters you don´t control. This is a new way that offers more interesting story twists and creates a new feeling.​