| Command & Conquer: Generals – Zero Hour | |
|---|---|
| Developer(s) | EA Los Angeles Aspyr Media (Mac OS) |
| Publisher(s) | EA Games (Windows) MacSoft (Mac OS) |
| Series | Command & Conquer |
| Engine | SAGE (Strategy Action Game Engine) |
| Version | 1.04 (as of April 15, 2005) |
| Platform(s) | Microsoft Windows Macintosh |
| Release date(s) | September 22, 2003 |
| Genre(s) | Real-time strategy |
| Mode(s) | Single-player, multiplayer |
| Rating(s) | |
| Media/distribution | 2 CD-ROM (PC) DVD (Mac OS X) |
System requirements
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Command and Conquer: Generals – Zero Hour is the expansion pack for the computer game Command & Conquer: Generals. Zero Hour added several new abilities and units to each side, and a new mode of play called Generals' Challenge.
Contents |
Zero Hour also contains 3 new campaigns of five missions each, one for each side, with their chronological order being USA first, GLA second, and China last. Unlike the previous campaigns, which were noted by Command and Conquer fans for not having full motion video cinematic sequences during mission briefing, the Zero Hour campaigns return to that Command and Conquer tradition, each showing a live-action video of a news reporter of the respective side giving details about the situation behind the current mission. The plot behind the Zero Hour campaigns picks up where it left off at the end of the previous campaigns.
At the beginning of the USA campaign, the Global Liberation Army (GLA) launches a biological weapon using a refitted Soyuz launch station from the captured Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan at a U.S. naval base located in Northern Europe. The United States military retaliates quickly, destroying the launch platform, before the GLA can fire another missile. Later, while providing humanitarian aid to Mogadishu, Somalia backed by an aircraft carrier battle group, documents detailing a hidden GLA bio-lab are discovered. Black Lotus and Colonel Burton head to the area to destroy the bio-lab. While Black Lotus captures a GLA outpost, Colonel Burton leads a team of army rangers and destroys the bio-lab. Some time later, the United States learns that a GLA general codenamed "Dr. Thrax" has been developing a more lethal variety of anthrax known as "Anthrax Gamma". The USA manages to cut off Thrax's funds, which were coming from oil fields in Iran. When the USA locates his base of operations, they discover that he is planning on launching several missiles loaded with this toxin at major population centers within the USA itself. A swift strike by the USA, with the help of GLA defectors, succeeds in preventing the launch, and brings an end to "Dr. Thrax".
In the GLA campaign, the GLA, though disappointed by the death of Dr. Thrax, receives a boost in morale with the successful appointment of their new leader, General Mohmar "Deathstrike". The GLA first attempts to reunite its splintered factions under Deathstrike's leadership, which it succeeds in doing after eliminating the defector Prince Kassad's forces in Egypt as well as stealing Kassad's stealth technologies, and then begins a fervent mission to drive the Americans from Europe. Despite their obsolete technology, the GLA succeeds in inflicting tremendous harm against the USA, by capturing an American particle uplink cannon which they then use to destroy the USS Ronald Reagan (splitting her in half from starboard to port, as shown in the game's cover) and infiltrating the US West Coast to steal toxins from a chemical storage facility. This reaches its climax when the GLA overruns the USA’s European central command base in Stuttgart-Vaihingen, partially with the use of captured Chinese weaponry. The GLA's primary objective accomplished, they now begin to invade a vulnerable Europe and create a new repressive state.
In the Chinese campaign, the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) is sent to Europe to relieve the USA and gain revenge against the GLA for their humiliating use of Chinese technology in the capture of the U.S. European Command base in Germany. In order to prevent the GLA from making use of advanced USA weaponry, China launches a nuclear missile at the military base, destroying it, and then sends its forces into Germany, where the GLA invaders are concentrated. China tightens its homeland defenses to prevent an infiltration so they don't suffer any more attacks in their homeland. This pays off when a nuclear power plant is attacked by the GLA. Chinese forces hold their position until reinforcements arrive, and they launch a counterattack, destroying the GLA in the hills. China is also asked by the Defense Council to use restraint in their military program, to which China agrees. They later liberate a major European city oppressed by the GLA, causing China's international opinion to skyrocket. The GLA attempt to retreat, but their forces are intercepted by China and destroyed. Finally, the nearly defeated GLA takes control of an abandoned U.S. military base and uses its weaponry against the Chinese army. China succeeds in destroying the GLA, and eliminating the GLA for good, rooting out their influence in Europe. Establishing the Eurasian Unity League with the newly liberated Europe, China takes its new role as a major superpower on the world stage.
In Generals' Challenge the player takes on the identity of one of nine generals (three representing from each faction) and does battle against the other generals, eventually confronting a "boss" general, General Leang. Each general has their own specialty, such as lasers, nukes, stealth, etc. As a consequence, they gain special units or abilities that are related to their specialty. However, to balance things out, they will be unable to build certain units or will pay more money for certain units.
Command & Conquer: Generals – Zero Hour includes online play through GameSpy on Windows, or GameRanger on Macs and Windows. The two services are not compatible, for the former players must first create a free GameSpy account in-game. Once in the main online lobby, players can choose from a number of options, including Quick Match, where players can have themselves matched up with other players of similar skill for 1 vs. 1 games, and Custom Game, where players can create their own games with the settings they want, and wait for other players to join them. The latter, though also free, is more of a manual process, and requires players to make, match, and start games without the benefit of an active central server to record stats, etc.
Custom games can have up to eight players playing in one online game.
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