Summary
- Stamina meters help immerse players in games by introducing realistic weaknesses to characters.
- Games like Dead Island 2 and Dragon's Dogma 2 emphasize stamina drains during combat for vulnerability.
- Titles like Breath of the Wild and Shadow of the Colossus showcase the importance of stamina management in gameplay.
There are all types of players out there, and some like to be more immersed in their gameplay than others. A stamina meter is one way developers have thought of connecting players more to their characters with realistic weaknesses. For some, it can be distracting if a character can run across an entire world without getting tired.
8 Best RPGs That Feel Like a Living History Book
Players can take a walk through history, whether non-fiction or fiction with these immersive RPGs that present incredible worlds and stories.
For example, Assassin’s Creed: Shadows is a good open-world RPG with lots to do, but there are no limitations to exploring or combat. Let’s look at some examples where stamina does matter, though from modern hits to older classics. They will be ranked based on how exhausted their stamina meters get in the game.
8 Dead Island 2
Californication
Dead Island 2
- Released
- April 21, 2023
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ // Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language, Suggestive Themes, Use of Drugs
- Developer(s)
- Dambuster Studios
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG
- Platform(s)
- PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PC
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
Dead Island 2 is a weighty game where every swing matters. Set in California during a zombie outbreak, players have to make their way through the streets, fighting infected and looking for loot to get stronger.
If players fight too much, their stamina will decrease, leaving them vulnerable to attack, which is traditional for stamina drains in RPGs. Sometimes, it’s better to run away from a fight, but even that won’t solve every problem, as running has a cost too.
7 Dragon’s Dogma 2
Capcom’s Soulslike Contender
Dragon's Dogma 2
- Released
- March 22, 2024
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- Mature 17+ // Blood and Gore, Language, Sexual Themes, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Capcom
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG
- Platform(s)
- PC, PS5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
Those hoping Dragon’s Dogma 2 would be easier to understand than the first game were sorely let down when the game launched. For diehards, it was a good thing, as the challenge from the original is what helped make it special, akin to a Soulslike game.
Even though there are magic and monsters, this world is more down to earth where every hit counts and players can realistically interact with the world from mounting enemies to tossing them over a cliff. Players can mount larger creatures, which will drain stamina as they struggle to look for weak points, for example, making encounters more exciting like other games on the list.
6 Palworld
Pokemon With Guns Need Energy
Palworld
- Released
- January 19, 2024
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T For Teen Due To Violence
- Developer(s)
- Pocket Pair, Inc.
- Genre(s)
- Open-World, Shooter, Survival
- Platform(s)
- PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series S, Xbox Series X
- OpenCritic Rating
- Fair
Palworld is in Early Access, but it’s still an incredibly rich game full of content, even if Nintendo and Game Freak are trying to sue it into oblivion. When players defeat monsters, called Pals, they will gain EXP to share with their good monster friends.
8 Open-World Games With The Best Class Systems, Ranked
Several open-world titles come with elaborate class systems that can completely change the way players experience the game.
When leveled up, players can dump points into stats like stamina. Stamina will drain when players run, climb, swim, and even glide, and the more stamina players have, the easier it will be to explore and discover new Pals to capture.
5 Elden Ring
And All Soulslikes
Elden Ring
- Released
- February 25, 2022
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Language, Suggestive Themes, Violence
- Developer(s)
- From Software
- Publisher(s)
- Bandai Namco Entertainment, From Software
- Platform(s)
- PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series S, Xbox Series X
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
No matter what FromSoftware game players engage with, stamina is going to be a big part of the gameplay. Elden Ring is their first big open-world game, and like all Soulslikes, players can dump EXP at rest points to boost stats.
Stamina is mostly used in combat and will drain while attacking, dodging, or defending, which will drain quickly, especially during the game’s many intense boss fights. If drained, players are basically SOL until their stamina replenishes, which is why it’s one of the most important stats in the game.
4 Monster Hunter Wilds
Hold On Tight!
Monster Hunter Wilds
- Released
- February 28, 2025
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T For Teen // Violence, Blood, Crude Humor
- Developer(s)
- Capcom
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PC
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
The Monster Hunter series has had stamina as an important stat for decades now. The latest game, Monster Hunter Wilds, uses stamina in several ways, from swinging or shooting weapons normally to performing special attacks. Players can even get lucky and mount monsters and open up Wounds to exploit.
The nice thing about this game and the overall series, though, is that players can regain stamina quickly with items or even increase their meters temporarily through delicious food made back at camp. HP can be increased in this same way.
3 The Legend of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild
A True Game Changer
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
- Released
- March 3, 2017
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Nintendo EPD
- Publisher(s)
- Nintendo
- Platform(s)
- Nintendo Wii U, Switch
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is the most obvious pick, and it changed games and the Zelda series forever, even though it admittedly borrowed from a few sources as well. Players can upgrade Link in two major ways: health and stamina. When they get enough resources, they can pray to upgrade one of these meters, and health needs no explanation.
8 Brilliant Modern RPGs That Will Probably Never Receive Sequels
Hopefully, these RPGs will all get sequels but one never knows.
Stamina controls everything from being winded in battle to how long Link can glide and climb. While stamina still existed in the sequel, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, it was less necessary to boost it thanks to Link’s new abilities. In many ways, stamina is way more important than health, at least initially in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, as players can explore more freely.
2 Death Stranding
Beware The Water
Death Stranding
- Released
- November 8, 2019
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood, Intense Violence, Partial Nudity, Strong Language
- Developer(s)
- Kojima Productions
- Genre(s)
- Action
- Platform(s)
- iOS, PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
Death Stranding was Hideo Kojima’s first game after leaving Konami and the Metal Gear franchise behind. In the game, players control a delivery man, Sam, in the post-apocalyptic wastes of North America. Players had a certain weight limit for carrying packages, and the heavier Sam’s load got, the harder it was to keep balanced.
Stamina would drain rapidly while going through water or when trying to sneak past otherworldly entities. It was a vital stat in the game, which makes sense, given the strength/energy it takes to be a delivery man in any scenario.
1 Shadow Of The Colossus
Grip Tight And Hang On
Shadow of the Colossus
- Released
- February 6, 2018
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T For Teen due to Blood, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Bluepoint Games, JapanStudio, Team Ico
- Genre(s)
- Adventure
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 4
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
Shadow of the Colossus is probably the best example of why stamina matters in a game because the premise of it is simple. As the hero, players will have to race around a giant open world, devoid of life, to fight boss-like enemies known as Colossi. To defeat the Colossi, players will have to climb them, find their weak points, and then stab, stab, stab until putrid black blood oozes out.
It’s a simple gameplay loop but one that is incredibly hard as these beasts do not want to die, and players can get thrown off easily as stamina will drain the more they cling on. There are ways to increase stamina, but it’s extremely hard to find the necessary components no matter what version players choose to engage with, from the 2005 original to the 2018 remake.
7 Final Fantasy Games With The Most Side Quests, Ranked
Square Enix's Final Fantasy RPGs are known for having plenty of optional content, and these games are stuffed with side quests.