Action Adventure & ARPG Genre History - By Subgenre
More info on each subgenre can be found here.
Zelda-likes
Knight Lore/Solstice-likes
Ys-likes and Hydlide/Xanadu-likes
Zelda II-likes or Gargoyle's Quest-likes
Stealth or Stealth Action
Quest for Glory-likes
Open World (can be either AA or ARPG)
Seiken Densetsu/Mana-likes
Survival Horror or Horror (can be either AA or ARPG)
Diablo-likes or Hack 'n Slash ARPGs
Tales of-likes
Real-time or Action Rogue-likes aka Rogue-lites
Survival
Prince of Persia-likes or God of War-likes?
Souls-likes
Looter Shooters
Zelda-likes
Knight Lore/Solstice-likes
Ys-likes and Hydlide/Xanadu-likes
Zelda II-likes or Gargoyle's Quest-likes
Stealth or Stealth Action
Quest for Glory-likes
Open World (can be either AA or ARPG)
Seiken Densetsu/Mana-likes
Survival Horror or Horror (can be either AA or ARPG)
Diablo-likes or Hack 'n Slash ARPGs
Tales of-likes
Real-time or Action Rogue-likes aka Rogue-lites
Survival
Prince of Persia-likes or God of War-likes?
Souls-likes
Looter Shooters