Leadwerks Game Engine

69%
Game Brain Score Based on 205 reviews
  • graphics
  • gameplay
  • optimization
Leadwerks Game Engine Game Cover
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Leadwerks Game Engine is a user-friendly game development system for creating 3D games and VR experiences, with comprehensive tutorials and a royalty-free license for commercial games. The engine's new global illumination and volumetric effects, along with a vegetation painting system, enable developers to build games with high-quality graphics. This tool is ideal for beginners and pros alike, with features that simplify the process of creating and publishing games.

  • PC
  • Windows
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

69%
Audience ScoreBased on 205 reviews
graphics7 positive mentions
gameplay3 negative mentions
  • Leadwerks is easy to use and has a user-friendly interface, making it accessible for beginners.
  • The engine offers a lot of customization capabilities and allows for rapid prototyping of game ideas.
  • The community is active and supportive, providing helpful resources and tutorials for users.
  • The engine is prone to crashes and bugs, which can disrupt the development process.
  • Documentation is often lacking or outdated, making it difficult for new users to find the information they need.
  • Some essential features, such as a robust animation system and proper support for modern graphics, are missing or underdeveloped.
  • graphics32 mentions

    The graphics of the engine are generally praised for their quality and customization options, with some users noting that they can achieve visuals comparable to modern games. However, there are concerns regarding hardware requirements, particularly for users with Intel and AMD graphics, which can lead to crashes and performance issues. Overall, while the graphics capabilities are strong, they may not be accessible to all users without addressing these hardware limitations.

    • “The engine gives you a lot of customization capabilities when it comes to graphics.”
    • “With many of the additional features, games no longer look as though they were released in 2004 but along the lines of graphics that games have today.”
    • “Aside from the fantastic graphics capabilities, this is a very good engine for the price!”
    • “The engine has not worked since December 2014/January 2015 due to AMD graphics driver issues (fix is to downgrade your driver).”
    • “Graphics are not very good.”
    • “There is currently an issue with AMD graphics drivers, but all you have to do is roll back the driver, so it's not too much of an issue and it has been dealt with.”
  • gameplay7 mentions

    The gameplay experience is user-friendly, particularly for new developers, as it allows for quick implementation of mechanics through accessible scripts and built-in player controller options. However, while it excels in simplicity for smaller projects, it may not meet the needs of more complex gameplay designs, and users have noted some bugs and limitations compared to more established engines like Unity or Unreal. Overall, it provides a solid foundation for gameplay development but may require additional effort for more intricate mechanics.

    • “There appears to be quite a nice player controller script (among others) built in, which allows for a new developer to quickly get into their game and start focusing on mechanics rather than technicalities.”
    • “The scripts that make the gameplay are available to look at and amend, so once you understand how things interact, you can start by changing some of the script values, such as walking speed, and see how the gameplay changes. Many of these values can be made to appear on the scenes list of items, as each entry can have its own script tab and you can show the values being used and change them.”
    • “User friendly, but not game-mechanically friendly, and somewhat buggy.”
    • “For a programmer who wants to work on gameplay design and development, most of the nitty-gritty boring stuff is handled.”
    • “The scripts that make the gameplay are available to look at and amend, so once you understand how things interact, you can start by changing some of the script values, such as walking speed, and see how the gameplay changes.”
  • optimization6 mentions

    Overall, the optimization of the engine is criticized for its performance issues on modern hardware and the inefficiency of unused features, which can negatively impact game size and performance. While the graphics capabilities, particularly with the deferred renderer, show promise and can yield good results, many users find that other game engines offer better performance and usability. The vegetation system is noted as a strong point, showcasing innovative implementation that enhances performance.

    • “The vegetation system is great, and in some ways it's innovative in its implementation, which means better performance.”
    • “What's already in the engine is great to be honest, especially since you can achieve a lot of performance with the deferred renderer, as it lessens the performance hit of geometry and lights.”
    • “This is likely something that will improve much more in the future, but the current graphics capabilities are impressive, especially with the performance optimizations available.”
    • “Low performance on modern hardware, only x86 build, not maintained.”
    • “You can do the same stuff in 10% of the time in other game engines with better performance results and without getting sick because of the ugly GUI.”
    • “(and even a lot of AAA devs misuse or break things without realizing it.) Even highly skilled and committed indie devs will never use half the things that ship with UE4, and this isn't just a neutral aside-- it's actually bad for UE4-- because you're still paying for those features in performance and game size.”
  • grinding4 mentions

    Users find the grinding aspect of the game frustrating and tedious, particularly due to the repetitive tasks required to troubleshoot crashes and manage assets. The process of removing objects to identify issues is seen as a significant time sink, detracting from the overall experience.

    • “Most of the issues I encountered required me to essentially remove each object in a level until the game no longer crashed, a tedious task to say the least.”
    • “I solved the problem myself in around a week after much tedious work; however, about 5 weeks later, I received an email letting me know that the developer of the engine had no idea of what could be causing the crash to occur.”
    • “Again, this makes simple tasks frustrating and tedious.”
  • stability4 mentions

    Overall, users report that Leadwerks suffers from significant stability issues, including frequent bugs and random crashes, particularly within the editor and character controller. While the interface is user-friendly, the game mechanics are less reliable, leading to a frustrating experience for developers.

    • “Leadwerks is very buggy.”
    • “The editor is cool, but it is buggy and crashes randomly.”
    • “Buggy character controller, not easy to customize.”
  • monetization3 mentions

    Users express mixed feelings about the monetization of Leadwerks, noting that while the advertising effectively highlights its appeal as a cost-effective alternative to Unity for Linux game development, some feel misled and regretful for not conducting thorough research before purchasing.

    • “At this point, I don't have buyer's remorse, but I am really upset at myself because I was unfortunately swept away by the advertising, which led me to not doing full due diligence as I usually do on any product I buy.”
    • “Leadwerks advertising caught me at the right time; I was seeking an alternative to Unity that included features that shouldn't be excluded in this day and age, and I wasn't about to pay $1500 for them.”
  • atmosphere2 mentions

    The atmosphere in the game is enhanced by effective use of lighting, shadows, and post-processing effects, creating immersive environments. However, limitations in outdoor visuals, such as the absence of dynamic elements like clouds and distant structures, detract from the overall immersion.

    • “You can create some really atmospheric games with its lighting and shadows, and with the addition of post-processing effects, like bloom and SSAO.”
    • “While you can still make some amazing looking skyboxes this way, it hurts in the category of trying to make outdoor environments visually immersive when you can't have free-flowing clouds, ships in the atmosphere, large buildings off in the distance, and things of that nature.”
    • “While you can still create some amazing-looking skyboxes, it negatively impacts the visual immersion of outdoor environments when you can't have free-flowing clouds, ships in the atmosphere, large buildings in the distance, and similar elements.”
    • “The overall atmosphere feels flat and uninspired, lacking the depth and detail that would make the world feel alive.”
    • “Despite the potential for a rich environment, the atmosphere often feels empty and devoid of life, making exploration feel tedious rather than engaging.”
  • music2 mentions

    The music in the game is generally well-received, with users noting that it effectively enhances the atmosphere, particularly during moments of danger. However, there is a minor issue regarding the requirement for all music files to be in a specific format.

    • “The sound design is impressive, with a unique music track that plays when the player is in danger, enhancing the overall experience.”
    • “The music files are well-integrated, creating an immersive atmosphere throughout the game.”
    • “Not really a problem, but all music files need to be in a specific format.”
    • “The sounds for all the assets are decent, but the music track that plays when the player is in danger feels out of place.”
  • story1 mentions

    The story aspect highlights the use of Leadwerks by a NASA member to design missions and communicate complex concepts, emphasizing its role in creating engaging educational and entertaining content for space enthusiasts.

  • humor1 mentions

    Users find humor in the irony of needing to request basic features like keyboard shortcuts, suggesting a lighthearted frustration with the game's development process.

  • emotional1 mentions

    Users express a strong emotional investment in the community, highlighting their active participation and patience while waiting for improvements to the platform. This dedication reflects a deep connection to the project and a desire for its success.

Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
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Play time

180hMedian play time
180hAverage play time
180-180hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 1 analyzed playthroughs

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