um, i don't know if you have ever heard of it, but darkbasic is really good, almost as good as C++, i think darkbasic is really good for making games, lets not forget that you can call C++ dll's and VB dll's , and doing that you can also use C++ commands in darkbasic pro, there are some good games made from darkbasic pro on the darkbasic website, i don't see any reason why darkbasic can't be aspowerful as C++, C++ is extremely complicated, darkbasic prouses the dirext x engine, and supports almost everything c++ can for games

these are the features of the 3d engine.

Binary Space Partitioning (BSP)
Potential Visibility Set
Pixel & vertex shaders
Real time shadows
True reflections
Lights
Matrices
Advanced terrain
Multiple camera views
Particle system
Lightning fast 2D sprites
Polygon collision detection
Bump mapping
Light mapping
Environment mapping
Multitexturing
Bone based animations
Cartoon shading
Rainbow rendering
Low level access of object data
Vector and matrix manipulation

these are the 2d and expandle features

2D FEATURES
Super-Fast 2D Sprites
Mirror, Stretch and Blur
Fade, Transparency and Rotate
Screen-Sized sprites
Fast Collision
Animated Sprites
Gamma Control
Scale Sprites
2D Drawing Functions

EXPANDABLE
DLLs containing FORMATTED FUNCTIONS can be dropped into the plug-ins directory, after which they become commands within the language All components are modular for safe and stable upgrading

misc. features.

COMPILER
Modern design
Creates .EXE files
Encrypt and compress exes
Icon control of exes managed
Breakpoint markers
Produces 100% machine code

INTERGRATED DEBUGGER
Breakpoints
Step Through Mode
Variable Watcher


EDITOR
Project manager
Function folding
Syntax formatting
Fully Windows XP compliant
Online help
Showcase examples
Tutorials

db pro also inclues rainbow shading, metallic shine, cartoon shading, bump mapping, water effects, and bubble shader