Diablo 2 has had a lasting influence on the RPG genre, but even its creator, David Brevik, acknowledges its imperfections. In a recent video interview marking the game’s 25th anniversary, Brevik criticized the stamina mechanic, stating it detracts from the gameplay experience.

The Issues with the Stamina Bar

Brevik expressed his discomfort, saying, “I hate the stamina bar in Diablo 2. It makes me cringe every time. It’s an irrelevant thing later in the game and it’s a punishing thing for the new player. It’s like a newbie tax almost.”

He elaborated that the stamina system was designed to prevent players from simply running away from enemies during fights, but this mechanic has become an obstacle rather than an engaging feature.

Perspective from Chris Wilson

Chris Wilson, the co-creator of Path of Exile, offered a contrasting view, suggesting that the stamina bar acts as a form of mastery for players, challenging them initially but rewarding them with skill over time.

Ultimately, Brevik acknowledged some merit to the system, “Right off the bat, it encourages combat. So in some ways it was good. But I don’t know; I still think that there probably could have been a better system to design there.”

Diablo 3 and subsequent games have largely abandoned this mechanic, showing the evolution of game design philosophies over the years.