There are many assisted environments for creating video games, but few are actually open and free. GDevelop is an open source tool to create all types of games using the flexible HTML5 and then export your creations to executable file locations for Windows or Mac as packages ready to compile in Android and use on your smartphone. Best of all, this tool is completely free and has no limitations.

Game development with GDevelop requires no knowledge of programming languages since it all works via a system of events assigned to objects. For example, if you want a character to move, you have to enter the condition that when pressing the corresponding key, the characters moves to the right. This command, which would normally take several lines of code to work, is summarized in a small submenu with drop-down options anyone can understand.

The game's characteristics and genre are entirely up to you, although the tool is designed to create 2D games (or at most, fake 3D in the style of the first shooters in the 90s). You have access to different sections of the game, like a scene editor where you can place game elements and see the results visually at all times, and a section where you can manage all the sprites and background images you're going to include in the project.

GDevelop is a fantastic tool for creating video games. While it may not lead to the next great video game, it does put the possibility of game development within reach for anybody who dreams of creating their own game.

Reviewed by Raúl Rosso