They are all great Engines and nothing is ever 100%. Utlimately it boils down to what kind of work your going to be doing, solo or team and/or creative art style 2D or 3D? Myself, I like to DIY everything and not use other peoples assets (I use Gimp(2D art) Blender(3D art) and FlStudio (Music Production).
If i were a starting Developer and making only solo games, using simple pixel art style, I would choose GoDot hands down. If i were a more 3D enclined artist, maybe have a team, dont mind lisencing agreements, then I would go with Unity3D, and if i wanted to focus on c++ and Realistic Environments, I would go with Unreal, However I would expect it would be a large investment of time to master.
Unity: Pragmatic Choice
- Familiarity: Unity’s user-friendly interface and C# scripting language align with my existing skills, i have about 20+ projects in Unity3D since 2018 and used it for my University assignments.
- Quick Deployment & Prototyping: Unity’s rapid development cycle and cross-platform support. Prototyping is easy, building on mobile is easy.
- Strong Community: Extensive documentation and a supportive community aid in troubleshooting and learning.
Unreal Engine: The Tempting Beast
- Impressive Graphics: Unreal’s graphical capabilities are unmatched, creating stunning visual experiences. My machine struggles with the Matrix Demo running a $600 video card. We also lack an artist.
- High Learning Curve: Unreal’s complexity and resource requirements can be challenging, especially for solo developers.
- Potentially Overkill: Unreal Engine 5’s advanced features may be excessive for my current projects.
- HOWEVER if i was a newbie, id start with structured Unreal courses and/or playing around in GoDot.
Godot: The Open-Source Appeal
- Simplicity and Flexibility: Godot’s lightweight nature and intuitive design provide a refreshing alternative.
- Open-Source Philosophy: Godot’s open-source nature aligns with my values and provides freedom in development.
- Limited Experience: While intrigued by Godot’s potential, I haven’t fully explored its capabilities yet. I did start to re-create an existing project in it, and got quite far however I struggled with its Sprite system and had to start using 3rd party apps to do splicing and things.
Unity as the Practical Choice
Less delays, less procrastination, when using unity and it meets my current demands, I remain open to exploring Unreal Engine and Godot further as my skills progress.
In Conclusion
- Practicality Prevails: Unity’s practical advantages make it my engine of choice for current projects.
- Openness to Exploration: While committed to Unity, I acknowledge the potential of Unreal Engine and Godot for future endeavors.
- Game Development Journey: As I continue to grow and learn, the dynamic landscape of game development promises new adventures and discoveries.
- My dream would to be able to make full envrionments in Blender and UE5 utilizing Nanite and Lumen on my own models, but that would take up my entire life.
