I finally got an idea for my game but it'd be way too hard to implement in RPG slopmaker so I want to know what would be the best engine to learn for it. I don't have that much raw coding skill but I made a bunch of total conversion mods for a game that used a lot of Lua. It'd still be 2D top down so don't need Unity bloat features or gay 'so realistic' real time lighting on 2D assets style.

The idea I had was a survival horror RPG that'd play like Parasite Eve where you have to wait for an action gauge to build up to attack. I'd want it to be effortlessly real time though instead of locking you into an arena, maybe giving you a chance to run away or do stealth. Instead of tank controls I figured that moving fast or dodging would make your action bar build up slower vs standing still, and you could maybe sneak attack enemies to get a jump on them.

I already have a personal setting of mind I'd been working on for a while involving mutagenic drugs being peddled by a City of Mutants and you'd play as an unwitting paranormal investigator or as the City's own enforcers who nominally are trying to keep the spread of the mutagenic controlled.