Was wondering this. Given how steep the learning curve is for UE4 as a first Engine would it be better to use Unity instead?
Seeing as how complex and difficult it is to learn C++ aswell?
There are alternatives to c++ such as skookumscript. I personally am a fan of skookum but it has a learning curve (depending on your programming background) and some rough edges.
You can use blueprints and then move the complicated parts to c++ or skookum. I personally feel Unreal is an easier engine with skookum for game logic and blueprints for basic configuration, but everyone has their own opinion and valid reasons for one engine or the other.
It depends on your game, UE4 is more complete–the material editor, Blueprints, UI without having to buy anything extra. But the marketplace isn’t as big.
I want to make a platformer game like Metal Slug X as my first game. Would also like to make a Diablo 2 clone aswell. I see UE4 actually has a top down demo project to work off aswell. In Unity you have to pay for it, but I don’t have any money to pay for these things.
It’s about as difficult to learn UE4 C++ as Unity C# if you have no experience in either one.
Given the criteria you laid out, there is one huge advantage that UE4 has over Unity for a solo dev and that’s cost. UE4 has a lot of standard powerful tools(example: materials and shaders, sequencer, etc) that have no free equivalent in Unity. depending on what you use it can cost between $500-$1500(total, not per tool; shadeforge, playmaker, etc) to buy the unity marketplace equivalents of many of the UE4 tools that are included in the base package for UE4.
The second is source access, I used Unity professionally for 5yrs and regardless of any feature they ever add in the future, I learned my lesson and will never switch to any product that doesn’t have source access. You may rarely or never need it, but when you need it and don’t have it, you’re in for a wild ride of wasted time. UE4(and other source accessible engines) give you the freedom to know that no matter what roadblocks you face, you at least have the opportunity to address them. Black box engines do not give you this freedom, and at least in my experience, I find Unity users often changing their game design and mechanics to fit the engine, where unreal allows you to do the opposite.
That to me is absolutely invaluable, well the 2nd isn’t an argument specifically for a solo dev, I think it’s the most important argument for a game engine choice.
Thank you very very much for your post. I am now free to work on my first game as I no longer have a job “luckily I invested in land and in 4 years will have 200 coconut trees to provide me a salary every month”. I have never used either Engines before so I wanted to make sure I was picking the correct engine for my first choice. I don’t know C# or C++ so perhaps its better for me to use UE4 and C++ it might be more helpful to me in the long run.
I don’t have money to purchase all the assets in Unity for example some of their assets cost $75 for a FPS framework where as in UE4 it comes Free. I was just a little scared because the advice given to me in the past was usually “Unity is easy cause of C#” and “UE4 is hard because its AAA with AAA features you won’t ever use and its C++”
Looks like you have given me the info I needed to pick UE4 I don’t want to pick an Engine and spend all my time learning it only to realize one day UE4 was simply the better choice.
You don’t need C++ to use UE4, you can make almost everything with Blueprints.
I see this is very interesting. Is there anyway to use C# with UE4? what about Xarmain?
No, you can use C++ or Blueprints.
“To be precise…” You can use only Blueprints.
If you learned actual programming (and not C# while also learning how to use Unity), it’s pretty easy actually. Extra easy points if you are already familiar with node editors (like shaderforge on unity, or some other similar stuff on substance, world machine etc).
Blueprints are easy enough for an artist to make a small game 
Deja vu, I remember you asking these same and similar questions several times past 2 years and you still haven’t even started? Why don’t you just download the engine and start working since it’s free. During all those threads you could have used the time to learn and finished a simple platformer with zero skills by now.
^ I couldn’t before because I had a job that was too time constraint. That has since ended which is why I am back, completely forgot I asked these questions last 2 years.
I think you could make a metal slug with only blueprints.
Thats difficult to answer, what I can say from my early experience with Unreal is that is definitely not as beginner friendly as Unity even when you take into account Blueprints. C# is much easier to use than C++ even Unreal C++ and Bleuprints are not much easier either even though it make look like they are.
However I think where Unreal really excels is the editor, it can make things a lot easier down the road.
But yeah if you are solo dev you will be fine with either Unreal or Unity.
Sure we can debate about the difficulties of C++ vs C# vs Blueprints vs Engine API etc but in the end, creating good games is far more difficult
I chose Unreal and not regretting it because it fits to my personal taste and style of work.
So pick the one that is closer to the style you like to work and the rest will come. In the end what will make the big difference is your effort.
As a solo dev (in my spare time) UE4 wins hands down, more tools/power in one package. You can actually spend less time working around engine shortcomings and performance problems. Been using Unity professional since 2.x days and in fact still do in the day job and on contracts. its a fine engine but you need to learn a lot of tricks and work arounds OR spend $$ on asset store things to help. Those of course tend to vary widely in usefulness/appropriateness.
There are good entry level tutorials out there to help you get into C++ with UE4. Some ease newer folks into the topics a little easier than some others. I recommend trying something like this since it’s not too much of a big money investment. It’s not perfect, but does a pretty decent job of getting someone familiar with all the basics. https://www.udemy.com/unrealcourse/learn/v4/overview
I also find watching (and re-watching and re-re-watching) the UE4 video tutorials Epic puts out on blueprint game development and C++ game development invaluable! Must watch. They’re very well done (and free!). https://www.youtube.com/user/UnrealDevelopmentKit/playlists You can even hit up the instructors for some questions that may not be answered in the videos (they say that in the videos). Everyone at Epic seems to be very much into helping folks use their product which is fantastic.
The graphics off the bat for UE4 will alone make your first game kick ***…
for not knowing the coding of what you would need to know in most instances of Unity c# or plugins
UE4 makes it pretty easy to copy and modify the Free assets to your style or even port the whole concept to your project (IE material setups, mesh building techniques etc
platformer 2d would be best bet if you can draw… or have access to Anim sprites…
basic sidescroller etc can be made in 2.5 (3d assets on 2d plain, for those who dont know th eterm 2.5)
Its awesome but honestly C++ is the way to go even if UE4 has its own libraries that have nothing to do with C++ you will get more gigs (jobs) and be able to do what Blueprints cant, EASILY… if at all…
Hit me up if you need more info… Currently disorganised but i have sifted for yrs thru ue4 videos tutorials… i can help you bypass the doosey things i found…
You should be fine doing everything in Blueprints. UE4 is fine for solo dev, no reason to mess with Unity unless you already are productive in it.