Give up arguing with Thrasher once rationality is out the picture. He's not going to budge, believe me

Basic gameplay is the same? Yeah, like Battlefield 3 is basically the same as Wolfenstein 3D. They're both real-time first person shooters. So, complaining that basic gameplay is the same is a non-statement of very little use and insight.

It's just a genre and it has evolved - but the core is intact, which is why it belongs in that genre.

Anyway, for this particular subgenre - we've evolved a LOT from games like DoG, but I consider the peak to be games like Ultima Underworld and Arx Fatalis. SINCE then, however, there has been almost no evolution there. Legend of Grimrock was a throwback to Dungeon Master - and was a devolution more than anything else.