[HELP] Beginner c++ programmer, what's next?

Hello,

I have been studying c++ for approximately 1 month now. I have read 2 books, and have created numerous custom console applications that basically just run in the console. I have also written my own text based console game and many file i/o applications. Now, I feel pretty confident in the fundamentals of c++ programming. How do I move away from the console?

I started programming because I want to create games. What's the first step in getting out of the console box? I want to start simple with games like breakout, pong,and tic tac toe, etc. But i'm not 100% sure where to start. I search the web and I see people talk about game engines, which i'm not 100% sure what's the difference between that and Visual Studios c++. I see things like OpenGL, Direct X, Ogre3D, panda3D, Dark GDK, and many more. What are these? And which is the best to start with?

Why would anyone use these "game engines" over say Unreal or far cry? Or Hero Engine? Or any commercial grade engine?

Thank you in advance for any guidance.

Best,

SubZeroGaming