7 Fantastical Indie RPGs Worth Playing

• By Jason Schreier

Times are grim for fans of swords and sorcery. Japanese role-playing games like Xenoblade and The Last Story might never see the light of day in North America, while the American RPG industry seems limited to two or three gamemakers at most. The days of RPG oversaturation and endless Final Fantasy clones are long gone.
Fortunately, there's a solution for gamers craving adventure: indie RPGs. Independent designers and auteurs across the world have found ways to create compelling role-playing games, even without huge budgets or hundreds of staff. Starring a wide range of protagonists, from washed up basketball players to peppy shopkeepers, these seven indies will satiate your RPG fix.
(Special thanks to Craig Stern of IndieRPGs.com for his suggestions.)
Above:

Charles Barkley's Shut Up and Jam: Gaiden

One of the most bizarre indie RPGs out there might also be the best. Charles Barkley's Shut Up and Jam: Gaiden hilariously mocks everything from Japanese RPG tropes to Bill Cosby, all while crafting a grandiose, All Star-studded adventure that spans dimensions.
Basketball has been outlawed in the city of Neo New York, where diabetes runs rampant and even Michael Jordan has become a total dick. When ex-NBA player Charles Barkley is framed for mass murder, he has to team up with robot Vince Carter, a dwarf with basketball skin, and the great grandson of LeBron James in order to try to figure out who really killed all those millions of people. Also, his son is named Hoopz. Obviously.
Best of all, Shut Up and Jam: Gaiden is completely free.
Screengrab: Jason Schreier/Wired.com

Exit Fate

Don't be turned off by the tile sets or soundtrack -- all of which are ripped straight from old RPGs like Secret of Mana and Chrono Trigger -- Exit Fate is one of the best free RPGs out there. Developer SCF created the game in RPG Maker, a downloadable program that allows just about anybody to make their own role-playing adventure. While your average RPG Maker game carries the same level of quality as Final Fantasy fanfiction, Exit Fate stands head and shoulders above its puerile competition.
If you've played any of the Suikoden games, you're already familiar with Exit Fate; like Konami's RPG series, Exit Fate places you in charge of your own castle and army and asks you to overcome near-insurmountable challenges. The story is filled with political maneuvering, betrayal and enough poignant scenes to make Exit Fate well worth the 50-60 hours it will take you to beat. Just try not to think about the fact that you just spent 50-60 hours playing an RPG Maker game.
Screengrab: Jason Schreier/Wired.com

Cthulhu Saves the World

Lovecraftian demon Cthulhu isn't typical hero material. So when he finds out that the only way to regain his sealed powers is by performing heroic acts of good, he realizes that he might need to go find some help.
So starts Cthulhu Saves the World, a parody RPG by one-man-development-team Zeboyd Games. Though it looks like an 8-bit game, it feels thoroughly new; the dialogue is snappy and battles are fast-paced. You can buy Cthulhu Saves the World (along with Zeboyd's first game, the equally entertaining Breath of Death VII) on Steam for the whopping sum of $3.
"I can save any time?" asks Cthulu at the start of the game. "What is this, a first-person shooter?"
Image courtesy Zeboyd Games

Dungeons of Dredmor

This roguelike dungeon crawler is filled to the brim with vast maps to explore and random loot to collect. It's also irreverent, poking fun at enemies and objects through myriad humorous names and descriptions. Dungeons of Dredmor, which is $5 on Steam, allows your character to use a number of skills, from Assassination to Flesh Smithing. ("Other men work in clay, steel or wood," the game says. "We call them squeamish.")
For a good time, be sure to pray to Inconsequentia, the Goddess of Pointless Sidequests.
Image courtesy Gaslamp Games

Recettear

"Capitalism, ho!" says Recette, the main character of Recettear, quite frequently. It's only fitting: You run your own shop in Recettear, a combination action-RPG/store simulator that lets you discover the glories of capitalism for yourself.
In order to pay off a hefty debt, Recette must turn a hefty profit. That's where you come into play, guiding the bubbly shopkeeper as she buys goods low and sells them high -- but not too high -- in an attempt to keep customers satisfied. Recette can also recruit adventurers and head into randomized dungeons to restock her inventory, a process that's both addictive and rewarding. Just don't get too complacent. If Recette fails to pay off her debts on time, she might learn a hard lesson about the dark side of capitalism (and be forced to live in a box for the rest of her life).
Screengrab: Jason Schreier/Wired.com

Dink Smallwood

Old-school action-RPG fans might remember Dink Smallwood from way back in the 90s, when it became a bit of a cult classic for its Zelda-like gameplay and raunchy sense of humor. Dink is a pig farmer who sets out to save his kingdom after tragedy leaves him an orphan -- standard RPG fare, but it's made inimitable by the game's off-color, sometimes-too-obscene dialogue and characters.
You can still experience Dink's twisted adventures for free on your computer -- or for a few bucks on your iPhone/iPad -- and despite a few glitches, the game is just as lovably stupid today as it was 15 years ago.
Image courtesy Robinson Technologies

Battle for Wesnoth

Take one part Heroes of Might and Magic and another part Warsong, then add a dash of standard fantasy fare like orcs, elves and wizards. Now you've got Battle for Wesnoth, an immense, free turn-based strategy game and mathematician's wet dream.
You maneuver heroes and armies around a variety of vast maps, moving and attacking in order to take out monsters and complete the game's 15+ campaigns. Wesnoth can sometimes feel a little slow, but strategy RPG buffs will dig the 100+ hours of content and accompanying map editor, which allows you to develop your own campaigns and scenarios.
Image courtesy Wesnoth