yes, but shiva will be even more oddball scripting-wise. to me it seems to take all the problems with basic(structure) and mixes them with the problems with c(variable scope)

Then again I only used it for a couple of days.

As far as other alternatives, frank put up a couple of good ones, and as you've already probably seen, if you have the skill, piecing together an engine with ogre is another good option.