Description
Defender: Top-Down Shooter Template is a fully modular and highly educational twin-stick action RPG framework — battle-tested and showcase-featured twice on Epic platform! 🔥With over 530 well-commented Blueprints, this all-in-one project includes everything you need to build immersive single-player or local co-op top-down shooter with firearms, melee combat, abilities, modular characters, vehicles, dialogue systems, upgrades, and much more.
✅ Showcased twice:
- First Showcase: Sept 6–20, 2022
- Second Showcase: Mar 5–19, 2024
📦 All assets you see in trailers and screenshots are included in the project file.
🎥 Watch the trailer & try the demo to see all systems in action! (Full links at the bottom of this page)
🚀 Why Developers Love Defender:
- 🎓 Step-by-step video tutorials to help you integrate new characters, weapons, objectives, and more
- 💬 Growing Discord community to get help, share feedback, and see how others use Defender
- 🔄 Designed for rapid prototyping and scalable game development – from game jams to commercial releases
- 🎮 Plug-and-play local co-op (up to 3 players) with full UI and input support
- ⚙️ UE4 & UE5 skeleton compatible – import your own animations and meshes freely
- 📦 Use it as a full game framework or cherry-pick individual systems into your own project
🎯 Core Features:
- 💡 100% Blueprint, well-commented and beginner-friendly
- 🎮 Firearms & Melee Combat with upgrade system
- 🧠 AI with Behavior Trees
- 🗣️ Dialogue System with branching, stats & cinematic control
- 📊 Player Stats & Progression (XP, Critical Hit, Toughness etc.)
- 💬 On-screen messages, HP bars, damage text & interaction indicators
- 🔧 Modular Character System with swappable parts (torso, legs, head) – easily extend your character’s visuals and stats
- 💾 Partitioned Save/Load System
- 🚗 Vehicle Possession System
- 🔫 9+ weapon types, grenades, laser sights, ability system & more
🎞️ Trailers
Main Trailer (2:49): https://youtu.be/UEy-6VP6PWE
Coop Trailer (1:12): https://youtu.be/712BijLEo9Q
Single Player Gameplay (20:44): https://youtu.be/lmHOlxTxaPs
💡Useful links
Discord link: https://discord.gg/tuu9dFDg
Defender Documentation: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1aLBocBDtd-2tljdh3zZyf1xffAKVqAYIoBZMqAwo75M/edit?tab=t.0
Playable Demo Download: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1YcSe6_3udhfdrWtugQuULRQHGGp6gB2n/view
🎞️ Tutorials
How to create a level from scratch?: https://youtu.be/lacmaY72_Ac
How do I add a character to my project?: https://youtu.be/FvMYLju9SdY
How to make modular character setup?: https://youtu.be/P3hGPooOdKA
How to use Objective Manager?: https://youtu.be/8Y7KDQ9yy0Y
Build faster. Learn smarter. Expand your game’s potential with Defender.
Perfect for solo developers, educators, and Blueprint enthusiasts.
Version Note:
- UE 4.27: Supported in project versions v1.0 to v3.0.1
- UE 5.x (5.0 to 5.6): Supported in all project versions
Disclaimer: For demonstration purposes, this product uses some assets from “Lyra”, “Showdown VR Demo”, “Infiltrator Demo”, “Soul City”, “Subway Sequencer”, “Action RPG”, “Blueprints”, “Shooter Game”, “Paragon”, “Content Examples”, “Infinity Blade: Weapons”, “Realistic Rendering”, “Animation Starter Pack” distributed free of charge by Epic Games
You can contact us at any time and request that the asset you want be added to the site from the Request Asset section.
