The immersion you felt had nothing to do with anything you mentioned. We all got soaked into the game because no one knew anything about it. Every new item you picked up had the potential of teaching you a new recipe, and that was exhilarating. Exploring new biomes, wondering what new things you can learn or what new enemies there are lurking around the corner, was a feeling we'll never be able to have again.

No amount of changing the UI or stamina/health/whatever will ever get that immersion back. You think it will, but it won't, and you have to be okay with that in order to simply enjoy the game.