Big-name roleplaying games are celebrated throughout the gaming community, and countless players through the decades have been thrilled to cast themselves as dwarvish dungeon-delvers or brooding vampire vigilantes.

But what if you want something a little different? A unique setting, an offbeat rules system, or even a reworking of existing clichés into an entirely new context? Big publishers aren’t the only place to go for RPGs; there are many smaller presses and independent creators with great games to check out. Venture off the beaten track and you may end up rethinking everything about the way you game—or just have a uniquely fun time!

For an experience of dark comedy and hilarious tragedy unlike any other, the place to go is Fiasco—especially in the new boxed set. With no Game Master running the group and no pre-written adventure, players pick a situation, define their characters and desires, and figure out their relationships to each other... and then the trouble starts. With everyone pursuing their own agenda—and trying to get one over on each other—the only way things can end is, well, a fiasco. Inspired by the films of the Coen Brothers and countless hard-luck crime tales, this zero-prep RPG makes for one of the most memorable game nights you and your friends will ever have.

If you like superheroes (and who doesn’t, these days?) then you might want to give Godlike a try. With the subtitle ‘Superhero Roleplaying in a World on Fire, 1936-1946’, this game puts you smack in the middle of World War II as a person who manifested strange powers that are now being put to use in the service of their country. It’s a thoughtful and gritty examination of what it means to be human, and what exactly comic book powers might do to us.

Anyone who has ever played a fantasy RPG should take a look at No Country for Old Kobolds to see how the other half lives. Look at what goes on in the lives of those small lizard-like monsters that are often sliced up by the dozens without a second thought in other RPGs. It turns out they’re tough little guys who lead tough little lives, and now it’s your turn to be one of them! By turns thought-provoking, character-killing and slapstick-silly, No Country for Old Kobolds offers great worldbuilding and monster society for anyone who cares to experience a dungeon encounter from the other side.

Have you ever wondered what it might be like if your game was a TV show, and you and your fellow players were recurring stars? You can play out exactly that with Primetime Adventures. The group creates a show together, with one player taking the role of producer and the rest playing the main characters. From there, you play out seasons of the show, everyone vying for as much attention and influence as they can manage. Your show can involve any sort of genre, tone, and plot imaginable, but you’ll all have to work together to make it succeed!

And what if you really do want to play a medieval fantasy RPG, but still want to try something you haven’t played before? In that case, try Reign, a dark fantasy game that offers a scope beyond the adventures of a few mercenaries, putting you in charge of entire nations. In a society where the laws, warfare and gender norms are all different from what gamers have come to expect, players command armies and conduct politics to determine the fate of their whole society (or just themselves if they’re greedy or power-hungry). Rethink the world of chivalry, and take on the mantle of power granted to you here—your country hopes you will use it well!

There are endless RPGs out there for any mood, genre, group size or level of complexity you could possibly desire. Take a look around and you’ll find something perfect for you and your group, whether mainstream or indie. There's a lot to discover once you start searching!