Unity is a highly popular game engine that has been around for over a decade. It is a cross-platform engine, which means that games developed on it can be easily ported to multiple platforms, including PC, consoles, mobile devices, and even web browsers. This allows developers to reach a wider audience and expand their market potential.

One of the biggest strengths of Unity is its user-friendly interface. The engine has a simple and intuitive layout that makes it easy to navigate and find the tools you need. It also offers a wide variety of pre-built assets and tools that can save developers a lot of time and effort. This includes a wide range of 2D and 3D models, textures, and animations, as well as a variety of scripting tools and plugins.

Unity is also highly versatile and can be used to create a wide variety of games, from simple 2D side-scrollers to complex 3D open-world games. It also supports a wide range of programming languages, including C#, UnityScript, and Boo, which allows developers to choose the language that they are most comfortable with.

Another advantage of Unity is its large and active community. The engine has a thriving community of developers who share their knowledge, resources, and experience through forums, tutorials, and other resources. This makes it easy to find help and support when you need it.

In terms of performance, Unity is capable of creating visually stunning games with advanced lighting, physics, and special effects. It also supports a wide range of platforms and devices, including VR and AR, making it an excellent choice for developing immersive games.

Summary: Unity is a highly versatile and user-friendly game engine that is suitable for both beginners and experienced developers. Its wide range of features, pre-built assets, and active community make it an excellent choice for creating a wide variety of games that can be published to multiple platforms.

Website: https://unity.com/

Unreal Engine, developed by Epic Games, is a powerful and widely used game engine that is commonly used for high-performance games and AAA titles. One of the biggest strengths of Unreal Engine is its ability to create visually stunning games with advanced lighting, physics, and special effects. The engine comes equipped with a wide range of features and tools that allow developers to create highly realistic and immersive environments.

Unreal Engine also offers a wide range of pre-built assets, including character models, weapons, and other game elements, which can save developers a lot of time and effort. Additionally, the engine also supports a wide range of programming languages, including C++, Blueprints, and Python, which allows developers to choose the language that they are most comfortable with.

Unreal Engine is also a cross-platform engine, which means that games developed on it can be easily ported to multiple platforms, including PC, consoles, mobile devices, and even VR and AR. This allows developers to reach a wider audience and expand their market potential.

Unreal Engine is also free to use, with a 5% royalty on gross revenue only due after the product hits a whopping $1 million in sales. This makes it a great option for small teams and indie developers who want to create high-quality games without incurring large development costs.

Summary: Unreal Engine is a powerful and widely used game engine that is suitable for both beginners and experienced developers. Its wide range of features, pre-built assets, and active community make it an excellent choice for creating visually stunning and high-performance games that can be published to multiple platforms.

Website: https://www.unrealengine.com/

Godot is an open-source game engine that is quickly gaining popularity, particularly among indie developers. One of the biggest strengths of Godot is its simplicity and ease of use. The engine has a simple and intuitive interface, making it a great option for beginners. Additionally, Godot also has a clean and organized codebase, which makes it easy to understand and modify, making it an ideal choice for developers who want to get their hands dirty with the code.

Godot also has a built-in scripting language, GDScript, which is similar to Python and easy to learn. This scripting language is designed to be lightweight and fast, allowing developers to create games efficiently. Additionally, Godot supports other programming languages such as C#, C++, and Visual Script, which allows developers to choose the language that they are most comfortable with.

Godot also has a wide range of features that are specifically designed for creating 2D and 3D games, including advanced physics, lighting, and special effects. It also supports a wide range of platforms, including Windows, Linux, MacOS, iOS, and Android, making it a great choice for cross-platform game development.

Godot being open-source also means that you have access to the engine's source code and can modify it to suit your needs. This can be particularly useful for developers who want to add custom features or implement unique gameplay mechanics.

Summary: Godot is a simple and user-friendly game engine that is suitable for both beginners and experienced developers. Its wide range of features, built-in scripting language, cross-platform capabilities, and active community make it an excellent choice for creating both 2D and 3D games. Also, it's open-source nature makes it a great choice for developers who want to have more control over the engine and want to add custom features to their games.

Website: https://godotengine.org/

CryEngine is a powerful game engine that is primarily used for creating visually stunning and high-performance games. One of the biggest strengths of CryEngine is its ability to create highly realistic and immersive environments, with advanced lighting, physics, and special effects. The engine comes equipped with a wide range of features and tools that allow developers to create highly detailed and lifelike worlds.

CryEngine also offers a wide range of pre-built assets, including character models, weapons, and other game elements, which can save developers a lot of time and effort. Additionally, the engine also supports C++, which is a widely used programming language in the game development industry. This allows developers to access the full potential of the engine and create highly optimized and efficient games.

CryEngine is also a cross-platform engine, which means that games developed on it can be easily ported to multiple platforms, including PC, consoles, and mobile devices. This allows developers to reach a wider audience and expand their market potential.

CryEngine is also known for its capabilities in creating visually stunning and realistic landscapes, water, and other natural environments, making it a great choice for creating open-world games. It also has a built-in physics engine, advanced animation system, and a wide range of special effects, making it suitable for creating high-performance games.

Summary: CryEngine is a powerful game engine that is suitable for experienced developers and studios looking to create visually stunning and high-performance games. Its wide range of features, pre-built assets, and active community make it an excellent choice for creating realistic and immersive environments that can be published to multiple platforms. Its capabilities in creating natural environments and special effects make it stand out among other engines.

Website: https://www.cryengine.com/

GameMaker Studio is a popular game engine that is specifically designed for 2D game development. One of the biggest strengths of GameMaker Studio is its simplicity and ease of use. The engine has a simple and intuitive interface, making it a great option for beginners. Additionally, the engine also offers a wide variety of pre-built assets and tools that can save developers a lot of time and effort, such as pre-built sprites, backgrounds, and sound effects.

GameMaker Studio also offers a built-in scripting language, GML, which is similar to C and easy to learn. This scripting language is designed to be lightweight and fast, allowing developers to create games efficiently. Additionally, GameMaker Studio supports other programming languages such as C#, which allows developers to choose the language that they are most comfortable with.

GameMaker Studio also supports a wide range of platforms, including Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, HTML5 and more, making it a great choice for cross-platform game development. Additionally, the engine also has built-in support for creating games for mobile platforms and has a variety of tools for optimizing games for different devices, making it an ideal choice for developers who want to create mobile games.

Summary: GameMaker Studio is a simple and user-friendly game engine that is suitable for both beginners and experienced developers. Its wide range of features, pre-built assets, and active community make it an excellent choice for creating 2D games that can be published to multiple platforms. Its ease of use and cross-platform capabilities make it a great choice for small teams and indie developers who want to create high-quality 2D games without incurring large development costs.

Website: https://gamemaker.io/

Here are some other worthy mentions:

Amazon Lumberyard is a free, cross-platform game engine developed by Amazon. It is based on CryEngine and offers a wide range of features for creating 3D games. Lumberyard also integrates with other Amazon services like AWS and Twitch, making it a good choice for developers who want to incorporate these services into their games. However, it is a relatively new engine and its community support may be limited compared to more established engines. Website: https://aws.amazon.com/lumberyard/

RPG Maker is a game engine specifically designed for creating role-playing games (RPGs). It offers a wide range of pre-built assets and tools that are tailored for RPG development, such as character sprites, maps, and sound effects. RPG Maker also has a simple and intuitive interface, making it a great option for beginners. However, it is limited to 2D RPG games and may not be suitable for other types of games. Website: https://www.rpgmakerweb.com/

Construct 3 is a browser-based game engine that allows developers to create 2D games without the need to download any software. It offers a wide range of features and pre-built assets, and a simple and intuitive interface. It also supports a wide range of platforms and can export games to various formats, including HTML5, making it a great choice for developers who want to create web-based games. However, it is limited to 2D game development and may not be suitable for 3D games. Website: https://www.construct.net/

GameSalad is a visual game development tool that allows developers to create 2D games using a drag-and-drop interface. It offers a wide range of pre-built assets and tools, and a simple and intuitive interface. It also supports a wide range of platforms and can export games to various formats. However, it is limited to 2D game development and may not be suitable for more complex or high-performance games. Additionally, GameSalad's community support may be limited compared to more established engines. Website: https://gamesalad.com/

Stencyl is a game development tool that allows developers to create 2D games using a drag-and-drop interface. It offers a wide range of pre-built assets and tools, and a simple and intuitive interface. It also supports a wide range of platforms and can export games to various formats. However, it is limited to 2D game development and may not be suitable for more complex or high-performance games. Website: https://www.stencyl.com/

In conclusion, all of these game engines have their own pros and cons, and the best one for you will depend on your specific needs and experience level. Unity and Unreal Engine are both powerful and widely used engines that are good for both beginners and experienced developers. Godot and CryEngine are also powerful engines, but they may require a steeper learning curve. GameMaker Studio is a great option for beginners who are looking to create 2D games. Remember that no matter which engine you choose, it will take time and effort to master it, but the end result will be worth it.

It's worth noting that these engines are constantly evolving and improving, so before you make a final decision, make sure you check the latest version of the engine and also the community and resources available for the engine you are considering. And one last thing, in game development, as in life, don't forget to have fun!