S2ENGINE HD

About

S2Engine HD is a 3D game engine designed for creating and playing video games. It features a dynamic lighting system, advanced physics, and support for high-definition graphics. Users can create and customize their own game worlds, characters, and rules using the engine's powerful tools and scripting language. The engine supports multiplayer gaming and includes a variety of pre-built assets and examples to help users get started.

Genres & Tags

Educational

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

+11

68%

Audience ScoreBased on 257 reviews

graphics32 positive mentions

stability6 negative mentions

S2 Engine HD offers impressive graphics and is easy to use, making it a good choice for indie developers.
The engine has a lot of potential and is actively being updated by a passionate developer, which gives hope for future improvements.
It allows for character import from tools like Maya and Blender, providing flexibility for developers.

The engine is plagued by frequent crashes and performance issues, making it frustrating to use even on high-end systems.
Documentation and tutorials are lacking, outdated, and often unhelpful, leading to a steep learning curve for new users.
Many essential features are locked behind paid DLCs, which can be frustrating for users expecting a more complete package.

graphics
62 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
52%
42%
6%
The graphics of the engine are generally praised for their stunning quality and impressive realism, often compared to AAA titles, making it a strong choice for indie game development. However, some users report issues such as graphical artifacts, murky visuals, and performance problems on lower-end hardware, which detracts from the overall experience. While many appreciate the ease of use and the potential for beautiful environments, there are calls for improvements and updates to enhance graphical fidelity further.
- “The graphics are gorgeous, and I can import photogrammetry assets since I don't know how to model and using 3D capture animations since I don't know how to animate.”
- “The visuals are absolutely stunning, much better than most of the others.”
- “This engine has incredible AAA graphics, better than many engines in the market.”
- “Graphical quality: 5/10 (tiny skeleton of free assets and only 2 bipeds, plus FPS arms, about 2014-16 quality)”
- “But between the crashes, the strangely murky look to the visuals (everything looked like it was constantly in a fog in every demo), and things like shadows and reflections popping when I moved, it was time to request a refund.”
- “On the negative side, there seem to be some strange graphic artifacts in the real-time renderer, but I've still got to play with the tons and tons of settings made available to see if any tweaks improve it.”
optimization
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
38%
25%
The optimization of S2Engine has received mixed reviews, with some users experiencing significant performance issues, particularly due to its 32-bit architecture, which limits memory usage and affects larger game development. While there are reports of improved performance on certain rigs, many users remain dissatisfied and have sought refunds, citing inadequate optimization and the need for a 64-bit version to fully utilize their systems. Overall, the software shows potential but currently struggles with optimization challenges.
- “The performance and features have greatly improved.”
- “Great performance on my rig; I have run into some small minor issues, but nothing that completely stops me from using the software.”
- “Well, I for one was looking forward to this software. The screenshots look amazing, the price was good, but sadly the performance in FPS and the fact it's a 32-bit software have disappointed me greatly.”
- “Sadly, I'm going to ask for a refund as I see no way to make a larger game with this engine at its current performance capabilities. The fact it's not 64-bit and only 32-bit is also a problem due to the memory limit of 32-bit software on 64-bit machines, meaning the software will run into memory limit issues when being used on game levels bigger and more full of models than the demo scene at some point.”
- “If and when the software goes 64-bit and boosts its performance up to realistic levels for game making, I may think about repurchasing, but for now, I'm not risking going over the 2-hour limit for this product.”
stability
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game suffers from significant stability issues, with frequent bugs and crashes reported by users. However, there are ongoing updates aimed at addressing these problems and introducing new features.
- “A dead engine that is buggy as hell and looks like it won't be.”
- “I purchased this once before, and found it to be buggy, and it crashed a lot!”
- “While it's quite buggy currently, there are steady updates adding fixes and unique features.”
gameplay
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
75%
The gameplay experience with the S2 engine is mixed; while it offers solid mechanics for beginners and aspiring professionals, users frequently encounter issues such as missing scripts, corrupted data, and crashes, particularly when running on gaming computers. Despite these frustrations, many find it a worthwhile investment during sales, especially compared to other engines like Unity and Unreal, which can be overly complex and prone to file loss. Overall, the S2 engine is seen as a fun and accessible tool for game development, albeit with significant technical challenges.
- “The S2 engine is a great starter for making games. It has some very good mechanics that can help anyone progress to a complete professional level. It's definitely a fun engine, especially when you can catch it on sale.”
- “After trying various engines like Unity, Godot, and Unreal, I found the S2 engine to be a dream. It allows people with a vision to recreate their ideas without getting bogged down by overly complicated mechanics.”
- “The S2 engine offers a solid foundation for game development, making it accessible for beginners while still providing depth for more experienced users. It's a great tool for anyone looking to bring their game ideas to life.”
- “The gameplay is overly complicated, making it frustrating for those who just want to create without having to learn intricate mechanics.”
- “I experienced endless file losses and corrupt files, which led to constant reinstalling and a lack of enjoyment in the gameplay.”
- “While some aspects of the gameplay can be fun, the overall complexity is a major drawback that detracts from the creative process.”
story
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
Users appreciate the story aspect of the engine for its smooth functionality and the availability of great assets that facilitate storytelling. Many comments across forums and YouTube highlight the effectiveness of the engine in delivering engaging narratives, with the added benefit of a one-time payment model.
- “Smooth, it works straight away, it has great assets that all deliver the scenario you need to add your story.”
- “One really good thing about this engine is that you will pay only once.”
music
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The music in the game has received consistently low ratings, with users noting a limited selection of tracks that are only of mediocre quality. Overall, the sound and music aspects are considered a significant drawback.
- “Sound & music: 2/10 (only a small selection of okay quality)”
- “Sound & music: 2/10 (only a small selection of okay quality)”
monetization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
150%
The monetization strategy of the game heavily relies on advertisements, leading to a frustrating experience for players who feel overwhelmed by the constant ad interruptions.
- “The game is flooded with ads, making it hard to enjoy the experience.”
- “The constant barrage of ads ruins the immersion and fun.”
- “I feel like I'm playing an ad simulator rather than a game.”