Alternatives to the 'Vaguely Medieval European' Fantasy Setting

Medieval society, but not because of lack of technological advancement, but because it's an impoverished backwater outpost of a galactic empire where most of the denizens are a conquered race that lives in poverty while vastly technologically advanced protectors/praetors live in a few military outposts.

So essentially peasants working the fields and knights jousting in a castle court in the shadow of a 2 mile battleship in low orbit.

I recall that being the set-up, essentially, for a good portion of the Star Wars Universe, at least as it was described in the 80's era tabletop roleplaying game. A lot of comparatively technologically primitive societies would pay tribute to the Empire. There are a lot of interesting possibilities when the technological superpower (especially if they're a space-faring power) doesn't have a Prime Directive of non-interference.

That was one of the really good parts about Firefly—the Core Planets are lavish sci-fi havens with floating island estates, but the Outer Rim planets are largely stuck with Western/Victorian-era technology because it's too expensive to ship fancy sci-fi tech that far. And in one case, a planet was INTENTIONALLY stuck in the Wild West because the local noble wanted to play cowboy, but keep all the fun toys to himself.

We in the West tend to forget that much of the world is composed of outposts of technological modernity surrounded by people living more or less as they have for centuries.

There are a ridiculous amount of ways to play on fantasy out of "generic pseudo-Dn D fantasy setting". Even just focusing on one particular European nation's culture can give a world a distinct flair from the rest, a la The Witcher's Polish overtones. Or being more specific towards how people actually lived back in medieval times rather than just relying on pop culture for all your info. Or playing slightly before/after the time period. Or setting the story outside of Europe entirely. Or combining the setting with sci-fi. Or focusing more on horror. Or literally anything.

honestly anything could make a good high fantasy if you keep some of the base elements of high fantasy. I have a setting thats a gaslamp high fantasy that I feel works pretty well including steampunk like tech thats actually powered by magic, but the presence of monsters makes cities a little more sparse and ancient civilizations that have built massive dungeons and temples everywhere with powerful equipment makes it feel like a high fantasy despite the aesthetic being much different. I even have a sequel setting im working on thats in the same universe but in its (1910-30) diesel era except you know ... with magic instead of fossil fuel.

all in all ...if you have a decent understanding of the elements of high fantasy ... you can make any setting fit it even a sci fi setting (dnd spacejammer)