Diablo started out as a graphical roguelike, with turn-based combat and permadeath. David Breivik says they removed the permadeath when they decided to go realt

Diablo started out as a graphical roguelike, with turn-based combat and permadeath. David Breivik says they removed the permadeath when they decided to go realtime (good call). I personally wouldn't call Diablo a roguelike but it's a very close relative. When it came out people commented that it was basically big budget Angband.