Times are grim for fans of swords and sorcery. Japanese role-playing games like Xenoblade and The Last Storymight 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.)

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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