The 10 best game engines of this (next) generation article

Webster's Dictionary defines a 'game engine' as 'the word you've entered isn't in the dictionary,' but if it were to define it, it would probably explain that a game engine is used as the overall architecture to develop and run a game, it gives developers tools to create the disparate elements of a videogame and then pull them together to create a functioning whole. From the renderer to the physics system, sound architecture, scripting, AI and networking, game engines either natively power every aspect of a game, or they allow other specialised middleware to slot into the game's framework. In any case, game engines are the workhorses of modern videogame development.

As you'd expect, there are plenty of engines out there, from very well-known names like Quake and Unreal, that developers and publishers can license at considerable expense, through to in-house proprietary engines created by studios specifically for their own titles. I've just across a very interesting article at the IGN website covering the very best engines in next-gen gaming. These are the big guns, proudly championed by their creators and delivering to you the finest gaming experiences on the planet. These are what turn good creative ideas into great gameplay.

The following engines are discussed in detail (with some very good accompanying videos showcasing contrasting differences or their individual evolutions):

- Rage engine

- CryEngine

- Naughty Dog engine

- The Dead engine

- Unreal engine (which I've used for teaching this year at Bournemouth University and I also intend to use next year)

- Avalanche engine

- IW engine

- Anvil engine

- EGO engine (showcased in the vid above for the DIRT 2 game)

- Geo-Mod engine

You can find the article here, it is a great read for anybody into this subject area, student or academic alike.