From fantasy cities brimming with monsters all the way to space stations floating alongside distant galaxies, there are a lot of TTRPG games out there with some wonderfully unique settings.

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One setting often overlooked, though, is that of alternate history. Games like Axis & Allies have become popular, setting up historical events for you and your friends to play through. Still, there is something especially interesting about seeing an era of history altered. Whether it's unknowable cosmic horrors, new technology, or something even weirder, alternate history TTRPGs can be a breath of fresh air for a tabletop group.

10 Castle Falkenstein

castle falkenstein ttrpg cover art

TTRPGs and steampunk go together like bread and butter. With a long history of settings falling into this genre, it's only fitting to look at a game that really sets the tone for such a combination.

Dragons, steampunk creations, a wondrous castle deep in the Alps, what else could you want from a game? While many games on this list veer towards the science-fiction side of things, Falkenstein leans more toward the fantastical. With the aforementioned steampunk machines, of course. Despite being made in the mid-'90s, this game still holds up quite well.

9 Aces & Eights: Shattered FrontierAces And Eights Shattered Frontier Cover Art

Aces & Eights asks the age-old question: want to be a cowboy? The only real answer to said question is yes.

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In this fictional wild-west, you can be anything you want to be. The system is quite well set up for you to play any character you see fit. With that, the opportunity for all types of adventures, whether pre-made or off the cuff, is there for you. Horse racing, dueling, bounty hunting, and more are available to you in this open-ended system.

8 The Hammer And The StakeThe Hammer And The Stake Cover Art

A member of the brave and hardworking proletariat, the only thing standing between you and your country's prosperity is Dracula and his horde of nazis.

Quite a hook, isn't it? Well, if that got you even a little bit interested, then check out The Hammer And The Stake. A fun twist that doesn't have much out there like it. Defend your country with unique proletariat fighters and solve problems with a system that rewards risk-taking.

7 Deadlands Deadlands Weird West Standoff

Another great wild west setting in a TTRPG, this one takes the fantasy and horror elements a little more to the extreme.

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A more combat-focused and hard-edged experience is the focus of Deadlands. That's not to say that it is a grueling experience, though. Quite a few pre-made adventures are available that dive into the game's creepier and more gritty side. For an older game, this one still holds up quite well and can be a load of fun once you get a sense of the setting and what it's made for.

6 FvlminataFvlminata Cover Art Roman Legionary

Ancient Rome isn't a common place to find a TTRPG, let alone one about alternate history. But, somehow, Fvlminata has figured out how to do it right.

In a world where a unique design for gunpowder was found early in the years of the Roman Republic, everything changed as the empire began to dominate the world. Legionaries wielding firearms, a rich background of Roman society, and the availability to play adventures of all sorts await you in this interesting game.

5 FalloutFallout TTRPG Mr Handy Character Page(1)

One of the household names in video game RPGs, Fallout has a tabletop version as well. Whether as a ghoul, Mr. Handy Robot, Vault Dweller, or similar character, you can take to radioactive roads of post-apocalyptic America on your own adventures.

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Fight off vicious super mutants, explore unheard-of vaults, or maybe just cook some radroaches by the campfire. This and more are available to you in this d20-focused tabletop game.

4 Never Going HomeNever Going Home Shattered Art Of Soldiers And Monsters

This game is about the horrors of the First World War. The only thing different? There are horrific monsters also stalking the trenches around you.

Never Going Home is a horror and magic heavy game with a vivid world in mind. It doesn't have a lot in terms of concrete lore or the monsters that you face, but that just means you have more room to riff it. What it does give you, however, is a few classes, character archetypes, and monsters to give you an idea of what you're facing. Then it lets you take control. And what a world it sets up for you.

3 ScytheScythe Board Game Art Of Mechs In Field

The Great War is a bit different in this look at the early 1900s. Mechs roam the landscape in this diesel-punk tabletop game.

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Scythe won a lot of fans in its early days and hasn't let people down. The same universe even made a video game debut with Iron Harvest. No matter which fictional country you want to take control of, you can raze the landscape and enemy armies with a great combat-forward system.

2 Tales From The LoopTales From THe Loop Simon Stalenhag Art of Mech Near Car

A rather lighthearted and somewhat unnerving universe is what greats you in Tales From The Loop. Based on the art of Simon Stalenhag, this game sees 1980s Scandinavia, which changed due to a sudden advancement in technology.

Take control of one of a series of archetypes of schoolchildren and discover the mysteries of The Loop and the altered world around you.

1 Achtung CthulhuAchtung Cthulhu German Tank Firing At Eldritch Horror

A more militaristic twist on the classic Call Of Cthulhu game series, Achtung Cthulhu is what happens when the nazi army delves deep into the musings of dark magic and cosmic horror. What's worse is something has answered their calls. Take the role of a brave soldier of the Allied armies and fight off fascist fighters and otherworldly creatures.

This sort of pop-horror game doesn't take itself too seriously and is a lot of fun when you consider how best to mix the multiple genres this game brings to the table.

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