Over the years you’ve come into contact with plenty of different game engines whether you were aware of it or not. The term game engine isn’t referring to the Ghost Train fromFinal Fantasy 6, instead, it’s referring to the very thing used to create each and every one of your favorite video games.
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Some engines are easy for amateur developers to pick up and come to terms with while others are specially crafted for use for specific companies and games. What makes one better than the other is subjective, but there are more than a few that will be the most mentioned anytime a conversation about engines comes up.
10Unreal
Having been around since the late ’90s, the Unreal Engine has gone through many iterations and changes over the years, but it has still remained legendary. The engine originated with the classic Unreal line of games but has gone on to do even greater things.
You have this engine (the fourth version of it in particular) to thank for lovingly crafted games likeFinal Fantasy 7 RemakeandKingdom Hearts 3. Moving forward, the fifth version of the iconic engine already has a stacked lineup of games lined up to use the engine including the nextKingdom Hearts, newGears Of Warprojects, and evenTomb Raider.
9Frostbite
While it can be a bit glitchy at times (what engine isn’t?) the Frostbite engine is responsible for some of the best games on the market. DICE, EA, and BioWare are all major developers that use the engine for series likeBattlefield,Need For Speed, andMass Effect: Andromeda.
Like other engines, Frostbite has gone through different versions, but its modern incarnation is capable of producing some of the best-looking games on modern consoles. You might have also seen this excellent engine in action inthe remake of Dead Space.
8MT Framework
You might recognize MT Framework as Capcom’s old engine of choice. This engine has been responsible for massive hits likeDead Rising,Resident Evil,Devil May Cry,Monster Hunter,Mega Man, and so much more.
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It was far from being able to pump out photo-realistic visuals, but the engine allowed Capcom to create games that distinctively looked and felt like Capcom games. High-octane action and a whole lot going on within each screen of every game makes it clear this was a solid engine.
7IW Engine
Whether you love theCall of Dutyseries or not, you have the IW Engine to thank for the incredible games that first-person shooter fans are all drawn to. The engine was originally developed by Infinity Ward for the Call of Duty series, although they didn’t start until the second title.
The IW Engine is now in its 9.0 form, something that resulted in the incredible results you can see in the modern version of Modern Warfare 2and Warzone 2.0. Each iteration of the engine introduced impressive leaps forward, to the point that now Call of Duty games really do resemble movies.
6Decima
Originally used inthe forgotten Killzone: Shadow Fall, the Decima engine has become a staple for Guerrilla Games. You’ll be most familiar with this engine if you’ve playedUntil Dawn, theHorizongames, or evenDeath Stranding.
With all of those games in mind, it’s clear that this game is capable of doing some impressive AI work, while also crafting intricate and beautiful worlds anyone would want to explore. Game physics can feel a bit wonky at times, but that’s a small price to pay in massive games.
5RE Engine
These days, Capcom has switched to the use of the Reach For The Moon Engine, affectionately known as the RE Engine. It was designed for the major shift in the gameplay of Resident Evil 7, but it stuck around for other major projects moving forward due to its massive improvements.
The engine has been used for Resident Evil games, Devil May Cry games, Monster Hunter games, and evenStreet Fighter 6. This engine allows Capcom’s games to simultaneously feel realistic while also maintaining that classic Capcom feeling.
4Creation Engine
While the Creation Engine is notoriously glitchy, it has to be mentioned thanks to the incredible things it’s allowed people to accomplish. If you didn’t know, you have this engine to thank for games likeSkyrimandFallout 4.
An even more powerful version of the engine, Creation Engine 2, is being used to work on games like Starfield and, of course, the next Elder Scrolls game. The engine has to be incredibly powerful, while also allowing for lots of unique physics and effects as seen in Skyrim.
3Source
Pretty much anyone who’s ever used Steam should be more than aware of the Source engine. Being in use since roughly 2004, this engine is responsible for some of the most famous games of all time.Half-Life,Counterstrike,Portal, andLeft 4 Deadare all series that use the engine.
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While those at Valve have crafted some masterpieces with the engine, the fact that you can access a software development kit on your own just adds to how incredible the engine is. Anyone can put in some work with the engine on their own and share it with others.
2Unity
While the Unity engine may not be as famous among gamers as it is across the industry broadly, it still deserves a lot of love. The engine has actually been used for far more than just games, including work on the modern Lion King remake.
With that said, some awesome games have been made with Unity. Three of the biggest arePokemon Go,Beat Saber, andCuphead. While it may have other applications, Unity is clearly capable of makinghidden gems of gamingthat you might even play from time to time.
1Rockstar Advanced Game Engine (RAGE)
As the name suggests, the RAGE engine is used by Rockstar Games. This incredibly powerful engine has been responsible for theGrand Theft Autoseries since the fourth game, and the third entry in theMax Payneseries.
The engine is also responsible for the fantastic and immenseRed Dead Redemptiongames. Considering the many infamous mechanics ofRed Dead Redemption 2are well known, it should be clear how strong, capable, and multi-faceted the RAGE engine is. If the next Grand Theft Auto uses the RAGE engine, the game is bound to turn out fantastic.
