Not an easy question! There are tons of engines out there, but if you're starting out, I’d definitely recommend checking out these two because they’re very beginner-friendly and great for actually finishing projects:
RPG Maker
- Paid (usually one-time, often on sale)
- Learning curve: Easy / Medium
- Capabilities: Perfect for 2D RPGs, but flexible enough for story-driven or adventure games
RPG Maker is kind of the “classic” beginner engine. It comes with built-in assets, a visual editor, and systems for maps, battles, dialogue, etc, so you can start making a game without coding.
You can go deeper with scripting (JavaScript in newer versions), but you don’t have to. It’s great if you want to focus on design and storytelling first.
Twine
- Cost: Free & open source
- Learning curve: Very easy
- Capabilities: Interactive fiction, branching narratives
Twine is amazing if you're just starting or want to prototype ideas quickly. You basically build your game like a flowchart of story nodes, and it exports directly to HTML so you can share it instantly. You don’t need to code at all to begin, but you can add logic, variables, and even JavaScript later if you want more complexity.
So in conclusion, If you want something more “game-like” with visuals and systems, go with RPG Maker. If you want to experiment, tell stories, or start today with zero friction, go with Twine.
Curious: what kind of game are you thinking about making?