What Are the Best Game Engines?

Game engines are an essential part of the game development process. But which of the best game engines should you be using?

Here, we cover what a game engine is, what are the most popular game engines, which game engine is best for your team, and how to use the top game engines with version control.

What is a Game Engine?

A game engine / gaming engine is a software development program or environment used originally to develop video games. Now, a game engine can also be used for media and entertainment (including virtual effects), visualization (as with the development of digital twins), collaboration, and more. The features of a game engine may include animation tools, artificial intelligence, physics and collision engines, audio engines, and more.

What Are the Best Game Engines?

Unreal Engine and Unity are considered to be two of the best game engines.

Based on games released on Steam and Itch.io, Unreal and Unity are among the most popular game engines.

Unreal Engine is a commonly used gaming engine because it is:

  • An open and advanced real-time 3D creation platform.
  • Used to produce games in multiple genres.
  • Integrated with key game development tools, including IDEs, graphics tools, and version control.

Unity is a commonly used gaming engine because it is:

  • A cross-platform game engine, with support for over 25 platforms.
  • A leading real-time 3D development platform.
  • Integrated with key game development tools, including IDEs, graphics tools, and version control.

The Top Game Engines

There are many game engines that you could use for game development for PC games, console games, and mobile games. Here's a list of the most popular game engines used today:

Unreal Engine

Unreal Engine, developed by Epic Games since 1998, is user-friendly and well-documented, suitable for any type of game, including mobile. Its strengths include:

  • Intuitive blueprint system for non-programmers.
  • Great for high-end graphics.
  • Increased performance compared to other engines.
  • Strong VR support.
  • Access to Unreal Engine Marketplace for free assets.

Its weaknesses include:

  • Better for 3D games than 2D.
  • High system requirements for advanced features.

Unity

Unity is developed by Unity Technologies and is particularly strong for mobile game development. Its advantages are:

  • Free for beginners.
  • Flexible for both 2D and 3D games.
  • Strong mobile support and various SDKs for VR/AR.

Some drawbacks include:

  • Expensive professional licenses.
  • Learning curve for new programming language users.

Godot

Godot is a free, open-source engine known for its unique architecture and simple interface. Its pros are:

  • Completely free and open-source.
  • Good for both 2D and 3D.
  • Intuitive for new users.

However, it has fewer resources compared to others and may have a slight learning curve.

CryEngine

CryEngine is known for photorealistic graphics, especially in shooters. Its strengths include:

  • Extensive default features.
  • High-fidelity visuals.
  • VR support.

But it also comes with a steep learning curve for beginners and fewer available resources.

Your Own Game Engine

Many studios choose to develop their engines, using them exclusively or alongside others like Unreal or Unity. For example, Nintendo has its own engine while supporting major engines like Unreal.

Which Is the Best Game Engine?

Choosing the best game engine depends on the specific needs of your team and project:

  • Unreal Engine
  • Unity
  • Godot
  • CryEngine
  • Custom-developed engines

How to Use the Best Game Engines with Version Control

Your game engine should integrate well with version control, which is vital for game development teams. The steps to integrate version control with game engines are as follows:

1. Download Your Game Engine

2. Download P4 From Perforce

3. Integrate Your Game Engine with P4

Refer to each game engine's documentation on setting it up with P4:

4. Use the Game Engine Editor (If You Are a Designer/Artist)

Utilize the built-in editor for asset work and seamless integration with P4 for checking in assets.

5. Use an IDE (If You Are a Coder)

Integrate IDEs like Microsoft Visual Studio with P4 for code development.