First off let me state I played this during the original 2000 release and I still love it to this day. I am looking for similar games that pull me into the story and world that use multiple characters in a party. Any suggestions? I am all ears.

Might and Magic series. Specifically Might and Magic VI-VIII, as they have similar kind of combat.

If you are into the story, it spans all through Might and Magic I-VIII and Heroes of Might and Magic I-III (later games were made in different universe).

Might and Magic World of Xeen (IV+V), VI, VII, VIII. Of those, I would suggest VII as being the most "polished", but VI as having more optional content. There are fan patches to make VI-VIII even more polished, and even a merge to combine the three worlds. However, for a first playthough, it's probably best to take each game as an individual experience. Also, Xeen is tile-based.. VI and onward are free-movement like W&W. The party can be created by the player, with a couple bonus slots in 6+7 for utility characters which provide bonuses for a bit of coin.

Wizardry 6, 7, 8. I would suggest 8 as the most "polished", but parties can be imported all the way forward from 6. There is even some special hidden dialogue in 8 if you manage to keep a certain item from 6. 6 and 7 are tile-based movement. 8 is turn-based in combat, free-movement otherwise. The party can be created by the player, with two spots open in 8 for hired characters.

Neverwinter Nights 2 isn't as polished as the others on this list, but it is playable as-is from GOG. There is a story which guides the journey and some side-content. It also has a very memorable expansion called "Mask of the Betrayer", which is arguably as good as/better than the base game (and also several hours long). The party is recruited throughout the game and/or expansions.

--More Modern:

Dragon Age: Origins is a bit different in gameplay. There's a lot of voiced dialogue with choices. The combat is turn-based. The story makes itself present throughout the experience. It has a very good fan patch available now for the leftover bugs, but is quite playable as-is from GOG. The party is recruited throughout the game.

Divinity: Original Sin is both party-based and turn-based, but also more modern. The storyline is really a like-it-or-hate-it sort of deal, with a lot of Larian's old humor style. The second title goes hard in the other direction, becoming very serious. The player can create, recruit, and replace characters.

--Intriguing, but I have no personal experience with them:

Avernum, Geneforge, Dungeons & Dragons: Ravenloft Series, Lords of Xulima, Tyranny, Pillars of Eternity II.