Command & Conquer: Generals Zero Hour – PC – Review

Zero Hour is one heck of
an expansion loaded with new weapons, maps, campaigns, tactics, generals, and
the list goes on.  Finally, an expansion that is a must have for every fan of
the game.  Quite simply, if you don’t pick this up, you are definitely missing
out!

Ok, so here is a look as
what’s new.

USA units – Sentry Drone
is a forward looking eye that can detect stealth units.  It can be upgraded with
a 20mm machine, which will automatically be deployed against enemy units.
Microwave Tank can disable the electronics via microwave frequencies.
Defensively a microwave harms infantry.  Avenger is a mobile platform that can
paint airborne targets with its point defense laser.  When targets are painted,
other units in the vicinity can fire faster and with better success at them.
They can also bring down enemy aircraft.  A new fire base is added to the USA
structures list.  It packs a 155mm cannon that can deliver a tremendous amount
of ordinance a long way.  If inbound enemy units avoid the barrage, they make be
weak enough to be dispatched by the four infantrymen that can be garrisoned
inside.  USA upgrades include airborne countermeasures, hell fire drones,
chemical suits, supply lines, bunker busters, MOAB, and a sentry drone gun.  New
General powers include a leaflet drop and a Spectre Gunship.

China Units – Listening
Outposts are advanced surveillance technologies that can be deployed in low cost
units for the front line.  Listening Outposts can detect the movements across a
wide radius, including stealthed units and is fortified with Tank Hunter units.
The Helix is a large helicopter that can transport infantry and some vehicles
across any terrain. A flexible platform, the Helix can be upgraded with a
propaganda tower, gattling gun, or bunker napalm bombs can also be added for
additional firepower. The ECM Tank is a vehicle-based suite of electronic
countermeasures protects advancing Chinese columns.  A multi-frequency jammer
effectively disrupts guided missile and rocket attacks, which can cause them to
miss their targets.  Its directed beam can also disable the electronics of
vehicle units.  China also has a new Internet Center to add to their structure
list.  Stronger than the sum of its parts, the Internet Center can hold up to 8
Hackers, who perform better when working together.  The Internet Center can be
upgraded with the Satellite 1 and 2 hacks.  New upgrades include Neutron Mines,
Satellite Hack 1, Satellite Hack 2, and Neutron Shells.  New China General
powers include Carpet Bomb and Frenzy.

GLA Units – Saboteur is an
infantry unit that receives special training in stealth and sabotage.  Capable
of climbing cliffs, the Saboteur can infiltrate enemy bases, sneak into
buildings, and power them down.  If a Saboteur enters an enemy Command Center,
all General powers are reset.  The Combat Cycle is manned by infantry personnel
and is a low cost yet highly mobile fighting unit.  Excellent for reconnaissance
operations, the Combat Cycle acquires the abilities of any GLA infantry unit
that drives it.  The Battle Bus is a reinforced civilian bus that can carry
infantry units to the front line.  Transported units can fire weapons from the
windows of the bus.  When immobilized, the Battle Bus becomes bunkered cover for
6the remaining troops.  GLA adds Fake Structures to their structure list.  These
are effective diversionary instruments that can force the enemy to change
tactics or waste resources.  However, Fake Structures can be upgraded to real
structures, changing the battlefield circumstances once again.  New GLA Upgrades
include Worker Shoes, Camo Netting, Fortified Structures, and Booby Traps.  GLA
new General Powers are the GPS Scrambler and Sneak Attack.

All the elements from the
original are present in the expansion.  The difficulty settings have changed to
easy, medium and hard.  Hard is every bit as difficult as brutal was in the
original so any game on that setting is going to be tough as nails.  There is a
new challenge as well.  You can pick one of 9 different Generals to play in
skirmishes and online play.  The idea of the Generals is to play the Generals
challenge.  Play against the other 8 generals and see how you rank.  When
choosing one of the generals you may find that some units are unavailable to
use.  The up side is that you gain some extra firepower somewhere along the
way.  What makes these games unique is that your computer opponent is constantly
taunting you with comments during the game.

The elements of the game,
graphics, sound, gameplay, etc have not changed too much.  In fact it is just as
good as the original.  The AI seemed to be tweaked a bit but over all pretty
much the same.  This is a good thing.  Multiplayer is still by far the most
important element of the game that will provide countless hours of
re-playability if you like online gaming.  I can not stress enough how great
this expansion truly is and if you love C&C Generals this is a must have.

Gameplay: 8
So many choices make for a long
learning curve.  Thankfully there are plenty of hot keys to simplify things a
bit.  As most games of this genre, you may find yourself doing a bit more
micromanaging then you might like, but I have seen much worse.  AI has improved
a hair, but nothing to write home about.  The original was not terrible so no
complaints here.

Graphics: 9
Stunning visual effects can be seen
on the latest hardware, and you can toggle the particle detail to your
computer’s configuration.  All that beauty comes as a taxing cost on your
computer’s resources.  The more you have turned up the slower it is going to
play.  I really only found major slow downs with 4 or more players, including
computer opponents.  When you have so much going on at one time, it is to be
expected.

Sound: 9
Still the great sounds from the
original.  Very realistic and the voice-overs were good as well.

Difficulty: Hard
If the original wasn’t hard enough,
now with more weapons, tactics, etc. it is a lot to handle.  Those vets who live
and breath Generals may think I’m being a bit harsh.  But for the casual gamer
who plays here and there, it’s going to be a bit tough at first.  Yes it does
have an easy, medium, and hard difficulty setting, but even medium is pretty
difficult.

Concept 8.5

It’s a real time war
strategy that takes place in the future.  Going up a terrorist group may raise
some eyebrows but the weapons and such are set far enough into the future to
really compare this accurately to today’s world. In fact in my opinion this game
should not offend anyone. All 3 sides (USA, CHINA, GLA) are fun to play and
provide so many levels of strategy that the possibilities seem endless.

Multiplayer: 8.5
Easy to set up and play.  You can
choose quick match up or choose a custom game.  I still don’t like the way you
set up buddy list, but hey, that s just me.  Games play at the slowest computer
speed of your opponents which can get frustrating.  I guess its only fair.

Overall: 8.8
If you loved the original, you will
love the expansion too!