----- Game Details -----

Working title: C&C Generals: Zero Hour

Developed by: Westwood Studios

Distributed by: EA Games

Genre: Real Time Strategy

Release date: 7/10/2003

1-8 players over network or internet connection

Command & Conquer Generals is the latest game in a storied and diverse family. C&C has seen several different evolutions from the original Tiberium laced battles in 1995, to the first person shooter Renegade. This series has always been best when it's just about basic strategy, and Generals takes it back to basics.

Command & Conquer Generals is required to install zero Hour. If you don't know anything about the first game, take a look at my review here.

In a relatively fast development time, Zero Hour was released exactly five months after Generals. Evidence that it was fast-tracked is thankfully absent from the game itself, and the finished result is a highly polished and easily accessible game. System requirements remain high, but the game seems to run slightly smoother with Zero Hour installed.

New additions to the game are too numerous to mention here, so I'll give you the short version. Nine new factions are included in Zero Hour, three each for the original USA, China, and GLA. Each faction is led by a "General", and has it's own unique abilities and drawbacks. The standard trio of teams also have a few new units to play with, and two or three new generals abilities to spend points on.

A new single player mode is introduced called Generals Challenge, which pits the faction of your choice against all nine Generals. This is a very challenging mode, as each General has his or her own special map. They each start with a fully functioning base, unlike skirmish mode. Just as in campaigns, you may select a difficulty level of Easy, Normal, or Brutal. I suggest starting with Normal even if you are a C&C vet.

For you players that like missions, there are 15 new ones to cut your teeth on. FMV cutscenes with typically cheesy actors fill in the gaps between missions. They vary between base assaults, rescues, and sniper missions. These don't really work for me, but they are the only chance you'll have to use naval units. Much to my disappointment, no sea units were included in Zero Hour. Maybe in the second expansion pack they'll include some. Hint-hint EA... :)

Lastly, 25 new multiplayer maps are packaged with Zero Hour. As in the standard Generals game, some maps are well designed and some seem as though they were just thrown together. Still, the total map library is now big enough you can play quite a few games and not tire of the scenery.

Warning!!! If you don't want to hear the long version about each General, skip to the bottom and read My Comments section.

----- New General Details -----

*** China ***

General "Anvil" Shin Fai (Infantry General)

Structures: Fortified Bunker
Units: Assault Troop Transport, Mini Gunner, Attack Outpost
Generals Powers: Level 1, 2, and 3 Mini Gunner paradrop.

Modifications: All infantry start @ veteran level, Nationalism upgrade available at start, Horde bonus increased, Battlemaster and Overlord tank are unavailable.


General Tsing Shi Tao (Nuke General)

Structures: Advanced Nuclear Reactor
Units: Isotope Stability upgrade, Nuclear Migs
Generals Powers: Nuke Carpet Bomber

Modifications: All tanks start with nuclear shells and speed upgrades, Power plants generate more power, Nuke Cannon is available at start.


General Ta Hun Hwai(Tank General)

Structures: No specials.
Units: Emperor Overlord
Generals Powers: Elite Battlemaster tank upgrade, Level 1, 2, and 3 Battlemaster tank paradrop.

Modifications: All tanks start at veteran level, Tanks cost less to produce, Aircraft cost more to produce, Nuke Cannon and Inferno Cannon are unavailable.

*** GLA ***

Dr. Thrax (Toxin General)

Structures: Toxin Network
Units: Toxin Rebel, Toxin Terrorist
Generals Powers: Anthrax Gamma (level 3 anthrax)

Modifications: All tanks start with toxin shells, All toxins begin as Anthrax Beta, some missles are toxin tipped, Camo buildings and capabilities are unavailable.


General Rodall "Demo" Juhziz (Demolition General)

Structures: Advanced Demo Trap
Units: Suicide Upgrade
Generals Powers: No specials.
Modifications: Bomb Trucks cost less to produce, All terrorists do more damage, Booby Trap upgrade available at start, Combat Cycles are ridden by terrorist at start, Stealth buildings and capabilities are unavailable, Toxin upgrades are unavailable, Scud Storm, Scud launcher, and Bomb Truck are all packed with high explosives.


Prince Hassid (Camouflage General)

Structures: No specials.
Units: No specials.
Generals Powers: No specials.

Modifications: All structures and buildings can upgrade to camo netting, after you purchase camo netting at the supply depot, all workers are camouflaged while collecting supplies, camo upgrade is available to rebels at start, all base defences start with camo netting, hijacker is available at start, GPS Scrambler is available at level 3 instead of level 5, GPS Scrambler recharges faster, Tanks and Scud Launcher are unavailable.

*** USA ***

General Malcom "Ace" Grainger (Air Force General)

Structures: No specials.
Units: King Raptor, Combat Chinook, Stealth Commanche, Carpet Bomber
Generals Powers: No specials.

Modifications: All aircraft receive laser point defense system, aircraft are cheaper to produce, Stealth Fighter is available at start, all tanks are unavailable.


General Alexis Alexander (Superweapons General)

Structures: EMP Patriot sytem, Advanced Control Rod system
Units: Aurora Alpha Bomber (equipped with fuel-air bombs)
Generals Powers: No specials.

Modifications: Particle Cannons cost 50% less, all vehicles cost more to produce, all tanks are unavailable.


General "Pinpoint Townes" (Laser General)

Structures: Laser Defense Turret
Units: Laser Tank (requires base power to operate)
Generals Powers: No specials.

Modifications: Avengers cost less to produce, Tomohawk Laucher, Crusader tank, and Paladin tank are unavailable.

----- My Comments -----

Well there you have it, the new Generals. Many of the units described above are new to the game and unfamiliar. I'll just say the game remains balanced pretty well, unless you are fighting several GLA Demo Generals. :)

The new units really make it feel like a new game, and change the way some of my favorite strategies play out. The USA Avenger unit is a welcome addition to a faction sorely lacking in air defence. Avengers can "paint" enemy targets and increase the rate of fire for all attacking units. They can also bring down enemy aircraft with dual attack beams. The USA also gets a cloaked stealth drone, defensive fire base for those pesky attacking infantry, and a heavy-hitting Spectre Gunship available through generals points.

China receives a new helicopter, the Helix. This can be outfitted with napalm bombs, a monster chaingun, or loaded with rocket infantry for a mobile attack platform. China also gets an ECM tank, which disrupts guided missile attacks and causes the missles to fly off course. The new building is the Internet Center, which causes hackers to hack faster and allows you to spy on enemy bases with the Satellite Hack.

GLA also gets an upgrade with the much needed Combat Cycle and Battle Bus. The Combat Cycle can be adjusted by putting any infantry unit on the bike. It then uses the abilities of that unit. It can also climb and jump off cliffs. The Battle Bus is an infantry transport that turns into a heavy bunker when it's destroyed. New base upgrades include fake building, camo netting, and fortified buildings. The new Generals ability is the Sneak Attack, which releases a tunnel anywhere on the map. You can empty your tunnel network from this hole, allowing you to enter in the center of an enemy base.


Overall, this is the most feature-loaded and fun expansion for any C&C game I've ever played. It's almost a whole new game for 1/2 price. The online play is buggy as they have not patched Zero Hour yet, so getting a 4-6 player internet game going is a time consuming process. The network play is as good as ever, assuming you have several CDs. As I complained about the standard game, EA once again says you MUST have a CD for each computer even in a network skirmish. Bah, balderdash! That is just prohibitively expensive and should not have been forced.

The Generals add a new aspect to the game, and make multiplayer battles different every time. My favorite General is the USA Air Force General. Malcom Grainger can make your game miserable if he gets a good sized airforce in the sky. Each General has a good counter, you just need to learn what it is. Team games are also more enjoyable, since there are so many Generals that compliment each other weak spots.

I highly recommend Zero Hour if you liked the original Generals game. I found ZH for $29 at Software Etc. and I'm sure you could do better online.

Warning to parents, this game is quite violent in a mechanical and explosive way. No blood is shown, but people do fly up in the air and burn from flamethrowers, trucks explode everywhere, and buildings burn and crumble. It's a wargame, and a very visual one at that! I would say kids over 12 or so should be able to handle this game, although it can be quite difficult to learn at first.

Thanks for reading, and feel free to comment!
Openroad

Recommended: Yes