So I'm working on making a 2D game, my first attempt at one; a Metroidvania-style sidescroller.  I know next to nothing about game design, and discovered the Unity engine pretty much immediately.  It was free and it was a game engine, so I thought "That's the one!" and have started trying to learn C# coding and how to go about what I'm doing.  But I've read that Unity isn't really for 2D, and isn't even particularly well-optimized for it?  Maybe there's something out there that's easier to use and more focused to what I'm actually trying to do?  If so, I'd love to know about it.  Bonus points for ease of use for a total noob like myself.

Also, have been seeking help on my player character here http://pixelation.org/index.php?topic=20679.0 if you're interested.