Just adding something to this as I've been playing around with Hard mode a lot recently.
Pure melee is downright unplayable at the beginning, yes. It's only feasible if you complement it with missiles or offensive spells. But where did you get the idea that you'd have to be able to wade into a mob and survive on the highest difficulty level?
Archery skills are part of the warrior skill set for a reason. Hit and run tactics are indispensable for taking down mobs. After all, you are controlling a single character, not an entire party.
Warrior characters are still pretty nifty for their survivability, which is extremely crucial on Hard mode (especially if you play without reloads). If you add in some archery or survivor skills they can definitely hold their own. Don't ever expect your mouse fingers to get any rest on Hard mode though.
