This upgrade picks up after the end of Generals, its parent game... the war seemed won, but the GLA just barely survived... and a new leader has emerged among them, one who just may be able to gather their forces and become a threat. Finish the GLA off once and for all, or aid them. This upgrade adds some new units and changes some of the old ones... it also adds some helpful features(though there is still something of a lack of detail, status bars and overview), and three "generals" per side, reminiscent of the different countries feature of the multi-player side of the Red Alert games. That's 9 generals in total, each of which has unique weapons and abilities(of course at the cost of others, but fair's fair), specific to what they specialize in(such as laser, super-weapons, stealth...), and they *really* make things entertaining and open up for quite a number of different strategies and exciting battles. The single-player portion, in addition to the campaigns and skirmish mode, now include something called General's Challenge, which is essentially a tournament mode(between the generals, all of which have interesting personalities/strategies), which makes this expansion last longer. That's a good thing, because the campaigns are only five levels each... they do somewhat make up for that by having several very interesting scenarios, however, such as having to complete a mission before the international opinion of the country reaches zero, taking a large island occupied by enemy forces using guerrilla tactics and using Col. Burton(occasionally assisted by The Black Lotus) and a small team to infiltrate an area which holds several POW camps. All three sides get an appropriate finale, if they perhaps aren't equally good. Game-play is improved upon due to the new features(which include on/off features, some of which are for multi-player/skirmish games) and the added units, several of which work to remove weak points about the original games' selection and strategy options. It should be noted, however, that the air-craft carriers and cruisers can only be used in one single-player mission(but don't get me wrong, they are *exceptionally* cool to use), in spite of what the main menu looks like, as well as the shots of them featured in the intro(which, this time, is surprisingly flat, and feels overlong, in spite of the well-written tag-line and the quality and excitement factor of the in-game cut-scenes(which, again, consist of game footage)). Instead of briefings, this game has brief clips of television reporters from the lines detailing the latest advances, providing background for the missions. This is an original take on it, but this sadly makes the objectives less obvious... there was even one mission where I found myself completely unaware of what I was to do. This was less of a problem in the original(though it still isn't a particularly big one, to be fair). The music is fitting, and about as good as that of Generals. The new buildings and units add pretty much everything that could be considered to be lacking in Generals, but more features would still be highly beneficial... stances, formations and multi-task building(all of which were in Age of Empires II, released *years* before this) are still missed. Some of the worst bugs are covered in this, but others remain(and, as was the case with Yuri's Revenge, this also brings about one or two new ones). Among the most noticeable and helpful new additions, as far as units and structures go, are an Internet Center(which protects your hackers while they get you cash), an ECM Tank(which can effectively disable the electronics of enemy vehicles), a Listening Outpost(a detecting unit which cloaks itself when stationary and holds two Tank Hunters, efficient for taking out unprotected enemy artillery long before they reach your base) and a Helix(essentially an air-borne Overlord Tank) transport and assault chopper for the Chinese; a Combat Cycle(essentially a more maneuverable version of the IFV of Red Alert 2), a Battle Bus(a transport from which infantry can attack, which becomes a bunker if it is robbed of its mobility), the re-introduction of the efficient diversionary Fake Structures(now upgraded so that they can be detonated at will, not to mention upgraded into the *real* building, making them even more of a useful strategic tool), and, last but not least, an ability that allows them to create a Tunnel Network at *any part of the map that they can view*(making them sneakier and even more of a pest for their opponents... their defensive structures can now also gain Camouflage Netting, rendering them cloaked) for the GLA; and finally, Avengers(tanks that, using laser(think Paladin) can successfully knock out every missile launched towards them or the area beyond them, provided there are enough of them), a Sentry Drone(an invisible de-cloaking unit that can be upgraded to possess a small machine gun capable of taking out infantry and weaker vehicles), a Microwave Tank(which, using micro waves, can disable enemy structures, including defensive ones) and the Fire Base(a defensive building which can have four infantry units garrisoned inside, in addition to the artillery cannon on top, evening out the three sides' defensive structures by providing a second one to the only of the three sides that did not have one in Generals) for the US. New Generals abilities are added, some very interesting and unique ones among them, and more upgrades are introduced, as well. The expansion has a little bit of a silly streak to it, as seen in the video sequence in which a truck, labeled "really explosive"(!) is the cause of a large explosion when it is hit, as well as in the upgrade that gives the GLA Workers "those shoes that they have been asking for", to increase their movement rate. This is definitely worth playing for anyone who enjoyed Generals, as well as any fan of Real Time Strategy(though I would suggest you try the earlier games) in general(no pun intended, honest). I recommend this to any fan of Generals. Tons of strategic fun and excitement. 7/10
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NHL56713 August 2004having played Generals which i loved i bought Zero Hour, this sets place after Generals about 5-10 years from it, the gameplay is by far one of the best, the enemies are challenging even on the easiest mode, you really have to use your brains for this game, the game adds 33 new structure and structure upgrades, units, generals abilities and unit upgrades, it adds a new Generals Challenge, like the name says its extremely challenging you have to pit yourself against 7-9 (depending on skill level) Generals with different abilities ranging from Super Weapons to Tanks, you have to build your base fast or its going to be over run (your enemy already has their base set up), 15 new missions with a storyline, one of the best expansion packs out there, if you loved Generals you'll love Zero Hour
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nickenchuggets30 December 2021A few days ago, I wrote about Command and Conquer Generals and why I consider it to be my favorite game ever made. The sheer amount of replayability the game has due to the huge amount of units, vehicles, mods, strategies, and maps is something to behold. I really don't see how anyone can be bored with a game like this. However, there's only one problem with Generals, and that is the fact that Zero Hour makes it even better. If you own the first game, there is absolutely no reason not to have played this at some point. Zero Hour is Generals' one and only expansion, meaning it requires the base game in order to run. It is essentially the same game, but made even more impressive by the inclusion of new units, maps, missions, bug fixes, and a new game mode. Zero Hour sets itself apart from normal Generals because this time around, EA actually decided to let the game live up to its namesake. Zero Hour introduces 3 generals for each of the 3 teams making a return from the base game: The US, China, and the GLA. This means that in addition to playing as each one of these teams, you now have the ability to select a specific general from a certain faction, and they all have different units to complement their strategies. For example, the leader of the GLA's toxic weapons program is Dr. Thrax, and the vehicles/soldiers under his command are augmented with anthrax weapons which makes them extremely dangerous to enemy infantry units. He can also upgrade his poison weapons to Anthrax Gamma, which is purplish-pink, as opposed to the inferior, blue Anthrax Beta used by the other GLA commanders. The downside to playing as Thrax is that his forces are fairly weak against structures, but that's the price you pay for such useful abilities. Another example would be the chinese general Kwai, who specializes in building advanced tanks to beat his enemies. This means his team has access to stronger tanks and the tanks under his command cost less money. The downside to Kwai's army is that he specializes in armored vehicles and only armored vehicles, meaning his planes and soldiers are more costly to produce. By introducing new teams to the already existing factions, Zero Hour greatly streamlines and simplifies the gameplay experience of an already incredible game. Whether you like to play defensively (like me) and just build tons of vehicles while letting the enemy come to you, or you prefer to rush your opponents with lightning fast strikes on important positions, Zero Hour has a commander just for you that is sure to suit your playstyle. I've been playing this game for such a long time that I can effectively use all of the available generals, despite how much variety there is between each one of them. That's the best thing about this game for me. There's so many different ways to play it, but that isn't even the tip of the iceberg. Aside from introducing 5 brand new story mode levels for each of the 3 teams that continue the plot from the first game, Zero Hour also introduces one of the best things ever put in a video game: the challenge mode. As stated before, there are 9 generals available to you in Zero Hour, 3 for each team. In challenge mode, you select a general of your choice, and the game then pits you against every other general in the game, each one with their own battlefield environment to fight them on. One of the most frustrating is the battle with General Townes, who is the USA laser general. All of his vehicles use laser weapons instead of conventional explosives, which makes them pinpoint accurate and more deadly. If you're tough enough to achieve victory over every other general in the game, you face off against the female General Leang, a very prestigious chinese commander stationed close to Tibet, and she has access to literally everything from every single faction. It is quite frankly insanely difficult. Finally, Zero Hour also brings new things to the table in terms of the actual units, with all the factions receiving new ones. Some are useful, and some of them you just don't need. In most strategy games, if you have access to a powerful vehicle or unit that is going to let you win most of the time, you're always going to use it. This game is no different, and you can usually win the game as long as you know which units are good and which aren't. Zero Hour introduces new vehicles such as the chinese ECM tank, which is one of the most essential vehicles in the game (despite being unarmed). While not able to deal any direct damage, it can freeze enemy vehicles in place with its jamming array and deflect enemy missiles so that they miss their targets. It cannot use both of its abilities simultaneously though, so good micromanagement is crucial. There are more new units, but it's too much to write about in one review. Zero Hour also adds one last welcome addition to Generals, which is the inclusion of a map editor called the Worldbuilder. Using this .exe program, players can view and edit maps included with the game, rename them, or even make their own. Some take months to complete. The Worldbuilder also shows the paths the AI (artificial intelligence) is programmed to use on its way to attack your base, which is exceptionally helpful. This basically means that if you look over the maps in the map editor long enough, you'll never be caught off guard again. To summarize, Zero Hour is a great addon to Generals (as well as its only one). It introduces a new game mode, new vehicles, new buildings, new levels, actual generals to play as, and a map editor. It enhances an already great game and further cements the reasons why Generals is my favorite game ever.
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Cmdroddball0072 September 2006Out of all of the strategy games I have played, Command and Conquer Generals: Zero Hour. It ranks above others simply because it keeps you hooked for hours with its breathtaking graphics and interesting units and special abilities, like the nuclear missile, SPECTRE gunship, and the Helix helicopter. This game isn't for beginners to the strategy realm, though, because the difficulty is difficult indeed. Say if you play on a hard difficulty, you will have to keep up your base's defenses and constantly attack theirs. Speaking of attacking, take advantage of your units capabilities and also don't put them to waste. Example: don't send infantry to attack a base without tanks backing them up. Now I can't say much about online multi-player capabilities, but I am sure it is awesome indeed. If you are looking for an engaging strategy game, look no further, because Command and Conquer Generals: Zero Hour is a force to be reckoned with.