If you play games in any capacity, chances are you’ve been a part of a conversation about which game has better or worse graphics and gameplay. A lot of that comes down to what game engine developers work with. Luckily for indie developers, they have a wide range of free engines to choose from.
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In a way, choosing which engine to create with is similar to an artist trying to pick which medium to create their works of art (as it should be).You have to decide between 2D and 3D, as well as different types of gameplay, and see if that choice is compatible with the engine you have your eye on. It’s an important decision, and maybe you can discover which you want to use by checking out the free engines below.
7Cry Engine
Despite the reputation the Cry Engine has earned thanks to how difficult it is to navigate the interface along with poor documentation, things vastly improved when Cry Engine 5 dropped and fixed the UI navigation issue. If you’re familiar with C++ and Lua, then you’re speaking Cry Engine’s language.
Though the flagship Crysis series has long since been gone but not forgotten, the engine remains strong in the industry. Games such asPreyandKingdom Come: Deliveranceusing this beautiful engine shows that it still has the power to make beautiful worlds in the right hands.
6Open 3D Engine
Formerly known as Amazon Lumberyard, Open 3D Engine is a free-source 3D engine that uses C++, Lua, and Python to write in, making it fairly versatile if you are familiar with one or multiple languages. Open 3D Engine has its roots from Lumberyard, but has also integrated some of the Cry Engine’s tools for great graphics fidelity.
Couple that with the engine’s twitch integration, and you have yourself a fairly decent engine. However, because of the steep learning curve, look at a different engine if you are less experienced, but still want to get your hands dirty.
5GameMaker Studio
If you prefer the indie, 2D pixilated vibes, GameMaker Studio might be the engine you’re looking for. This engine has the option to use drag-and-drop mechanics for those who are still learning code, but can’t wait until they’re fluent. There are some 3D elements that you’re able to add to your game, but that’s advanced and requires more knowledge of code.
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Just be careful if you go searching for this engine: its sequel, GameMaker2, has a one-time asking price of 100 dollars. That being said, the free version of GameMaker Studio is severely limited, and if you want to publish your game outside of Opera’s game store, you’ll have to shell out a little money to do so.
4Spring Engine
Looking for something a little more strategic? The Spring Engine might be just the engine for you to create magic. With a focus on real-time strategy, this engine allows you to create explosive battles with thousands of units on the field at your disposal. It uses Lua for scripting, a comparatively easy to learn program.
The downside of working exclusively with Lua for scripting is not having a standard library, meaning you’ll have to write each line of code by hand, leaving lots of room for human error. Having a standard library with ready-made codes would have made things a lot easier. Still, the amount of customization you can do with the systems provided is more than worth the price of admission.
3Gadot
Gadot is quickly gaining popularity in the indie game development scene with its comprehensive interface, making it easier for amateur developers to jump in and experiment with the new tools at your disposal. Godot is open-source and uses its own coding language, named GDScript. Don’t let that turn you away though, because GDScript is really similar to Python.
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Though not as powerful as it’s more well-known counterparts, Godot has the advantage of being completely free. You don’t have to worry about licensing fees or royalties to pay while trying to get your project ready to be launched. While the aforementioned are free, you’ll eventually run into fees down the road. Godot is more bang for your buck (so to speak).
2Unreal
Unreal Engineis iconic, andfor good reason. It reaches beyond gaming straight into movies and television as well, making the engine a multi-industry game changer. One look at the latest tech demo of its fifth iteration, and you’ll see that it’s the strongest around in graphics. All this,and it’s free?
Blueprints are also available. This part of the program lets you design functions visually instead of typing code, letting you essentially streamline the coding process all together. Though, it wouldn’t hurt to touch up on your C++ while tinkering in Blueprints to customize your game deeper.
1Unity
When it comes down to versatility, Unity is unmatched. You want a first or third-person shooter? Unity can do that. How about making a dating simor puzzle game? Unity can handle that too. No matter what you want to do or whichever platform you want to release your game on, Unity can do that for you.
FromCupheadtoBeat Saber, Unity Engine has probably dipped its toes in it one way or another. The User Interface is easy to navigate and understand, but if you have stuck trying to figure something out, the engine come with its own tutorials to walk you through the general mechanics. It’s an intuitive machine for sure.
