alt Hacker NewsNot all gameplay mechanics need to last for an entire game. Stamina as an obstacle that you overcome plays into the power fantasy aspect of the game very well. Arguably it goes a long way to offset the feeling you’re slowly falling behind the power curve which is how they get people to grind without complaining about poor balance.
It never posed a meaningful challenge in gameplay, though - just an annoyance. If you run too much, you have to stand still for a bit for your stamina to build back up, or chug a stamina potion if you have one. There's a reason it didn't make a return appearance in subsequent games.