Zero Hour
- September 9, 2024
- M7 Productions
- 6h median play time
Get on Steam"Zero Hour" is a real-time strategy game that takes place in a post-apocalyptic world. Players must build and manage their base, gather resources, and command their troops to defeat the enemy. The game features tactical combat, destructible environments, and a variety of units and structures to build and upgrade.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- gameplay2,540 mentions
- 34 % positive mentions
- 58 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Zero Hour" is characterized by its emphasis on slow, tactical mechanics that require teamwork and strategic planning, reminiscent of classic tactical shooters like "SWAT 4" and "Rainbow Six." While many players appreciate the realistic gunplay and unique mechanics, such as rappelling and power-cutting, the game suffers from clunky controls, AI issues, and a lack of polish, leading to a mixed reception. Overall, it offers a solid foundation for tactical gameplay but needs further development and a larger player base to fully realize its potential.
“It's got really solid (gun) gameplay and the movement of the character is swift and the game as a whole is smooth, like really smooth but hard as nails, lol.”
“The game offers strategic gameplay with original gadgets that never give you the same games, the music is good and the maps are the perfect size for pve or pvp.”
“Zero hour’s focus on tactical, methodical gameplay is where the game truly shines.”
“This game offers something that is not complicated in controls, but the gameplay doesn't feel right.”
“The gameplay feels clunky and uninspired, lacking the intensity and depth that define successful tactical shooters.”
“The mechanics are janky and all the missions are the same pretty much just with different stories and maps.”
- story1,712 mentions
- 15 % positive mentions
- 79 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The game's story aspect has received mixed reviews, with many players noting a lack of depth and progression in the narrative. While some missions feature brief cutscenes and background lore, the overall storytelling is often described as minimal or non-existent, leading to a feeling of detachment from the characters and scenarios. Players generally find the missions engaging and challenging, particularly in co-op mode, but express a desire for more substantial story elements and character development to enhance the experience.
“The story behind each map and each mission is intriguing.”
“The compelling storyline, stunning visuals, and captivating gameplay mechanics make this an unforgettable journey that will leave players eager for more.”
“The co-op missions (pretty much the story mode) is really fun to play solo or with friends.”
“Sadly though, the overall story is not really progressing and the narrative storytelling is not as good as it could be.”
“The 'story mode', which features an AI team, lacks a story, and the teammate AI is absolutely terrible.”
“They call it 'story' mode, but there is no story to speak of, except a short description before any mission of what is happening, but it adds nothing to the game in my opinion.”
- graphics1,252 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 56 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many players noting that they feel dated and reminiscent of older titles, often comparing them to games from the Xbox 360 era. While some appreciate the decent visuals and lighting effects, others criticize the overall quality, stating that it lacks polish and can appear grainy or low-budget. Overall, the consensus suggests that while the graphics are not the game's strongest aspect, they are serviceable for its price point, with potential for improvement in future updates.
“The graphics are impressive and often feel incredibly lifelike.”
“Great gun physics and amazing graphics.”
“The graphics and smoothness of the game is solid.”
“The graphics are equal to a game on Xbox 360.”
“The graphics and animations feel like a very low-budget game.”
“The graphics are lackluster and dated, failing to create an immersive environment for players.”
- stability702 mentions
- 3 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 97 % negative mentions
The game's stability is a significant concern among players, with many describing it as "buggy" and "unpolished," even in its 1.0 release. Common issues include problematic AI behavior, frequent crashes, and various glitches that disrupt gameplay, particularly in co-op modes. While some players acknowledge the game's potential and enjoy it despite these flaws, the overall consensus is that it requires substantial improvements to reach a more stable and enjoyable state.
“This game has sooooo much potential, has all the usual early access bugs but runs great 95% of the time.”
“Game runs great, gameplay is fun and makes you actually play tactically.”
“It runs great on high (100-150fps).”
“Even the release v1.0, it's still pretty much buggy like the beta.”
“This does not reserve the positive reviews it has been getting, for a 1.0 90% of the game is buggy... the animations are horrible, the gameplay feels stale, half the guns aren't even done right, there's only a few voicelines and the ragdolls are terrible (it's 2024 that shouldn't be an issue anymore..)”
“Zero hour is an unpolished buggy mess that is not worth your money.”
- optimization432 mentions
- 15 % positive mentions
- 51 % neutral mentions
- 34 % negative mentions
The optimization of the game has received overwhelmingly negative feedback, with many users reporting severe performance issues, including stuttering, low frame rates, and frequent crashes, even on high-end hardware. While some players have noted improvements in recent updates, the consensus is that the game remains poorly optimized, requiring significant work to enhance performance and stability. Overall, the game's optimization is seen as a major barrier to enjoyment, detracting from its otherwise promising gameplay and concepts.
“The game is pretty well optimized and I believe the new update will add some more optimization.”
“Very optimized game, good graphics.”
“Great game, beautiful graphics and very good performance as well, even on my not so good PC definitely worth to buy.”
“Very very bad optimization, like seriously compare Ready or Not graphics to this game, Ready or Not is a lot better but I have 100fps on ultra in Ready or Not while here I only have like 30 fps on medium lmao, I have RTX 4060 Ti and AMD Ryzen 5 3600 with 16 GB of RAM.”
“Frequent crashes, stuttering frame rates, and long loading times plague the experience, detracting further from any enjoyment that could be derived from the game.”
“The problem is this game provides nothing but great concepts with the worst performance I've ever seen.”
- humor178 mentions
- 99 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 1 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is frequently highlighted as a major draw, with players enjoying the chaotic and often absurd moments that arise during gameplay, especially when playing with friends. Many reviews mention hilarious bugs, funny voice lines, and unexpected friendly fire incidents that lead to laughter, making the experience entertaining despite the game's challenges. Overall, the community's camaraderie and shared humorous experiences contribute significantly to the game's appeal.
“This game is both stressful and hilarious at the same time. One minute you're yelling and having fun messing around, and then the next is trying to solo clear an entire city when all your teammates die and feeling that hellish pressure. I totally recommend this game if you like the whole Rainbow Six and SWAT games; this is totally up your alley. I will say though, the voice lines can be funny and kind of immersion-breaking.”
“Hahahahaha, very funny, especially when my friend's head suddenly gets full of lead from a 12-gauge shotgun that was somehow in my hands.”
“It's pretty hilarious that my highly trained comrades and I, for some reason, can't vault over low obstacles like couches pushed in front of doorways, yet can jump through certain windows.”
“Pew pew pew splat hehe funny... splat me dead, very not funny.”
- atmosphere146 mentions
- 56 % positive mentions
- 42 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its intensity, detail, and immersive qualities, creating a gripping experience that enhances both tactical gameplay and storytelling. Players appreciate the well-designed environments, atmospheric sound effects, and the tension generated during missions, although some note that improvements in audio and graphics could further elevate the experience. Overall, the game successfully evokes a visceral and strategic atmosphere that resonates with fans of tactical shooters.
“The detailed environments and intense firefights create a gripping atmosphere, though the steep learning curve and occasional technical issues might be challenging for some.”
“The atmosphere is outstanding, the gunplay is so good, and the inertia movement takes some time to get used to, but it works really well with the type of game they are trying to make.”
“The staging of the levels is perfect to ensure the suspense and authenticity of the operations they portray and provide the atmosphere that makes you genuinely feel a part of the action.”
“This game is a quarter of the price, but it gets old pretty fast due to the lack of atmosphere from the mediocre graphics and lack of music.”
“Not polished in all areas, but that often adds to the eerie, after-hours atmosphere.”
“A more immersive audio experience could enhance the overall atmosphere and realism of the game.”
- grinding122 mentions
- 2 % positive mentions
- 57 % neutral mentions
- 41 % negative mentions
Players generally find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and time-consuming, often requiring excessive effort to progress or unlock content. While some appreciate the skill-based gameplay that allows for various weapon use without grinding for unlocks, many express frustration with the repetitive nature of missions, AI issues, and the need to earn currency for map access. Overall, the grinding experience is seen as a significant drawback, with calls for improvements from the developers.
“It is a game of pure skill, meaning any weapon can be used, and there is no grinding to unlock weapons or attachments.”
“A bit grindy sometimes.”
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“On some of the maps, the AI aren't evenly spread out; instead, they're all bunched up together, which makes those missions very tedious to S-rank. Plus, the way it works getting the AI to surrender is garbage.”
“Every aspect of the game is some combination of buggy, needlessly tedious, and awkward, whether it be the UI, online functionality, the controls, the AI, or the broken English writing. You name it, something's a bit off about it.”
“It gets pretty tedious when you have to change the frag grenade into a NVG/flashbang and customize a gun every single game.”
- music114 mentions
- 30 % positive mentions
- 61 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with many praising the atmospheric score that enhances gameplay and emotional moments, while others criticize the loudness and inability to mute it during missions. The main menu and lobby music are often highlighted as standout features, with some players enjoying the customization options. However, there are complaints about repetitive tracks and a lack of cohesion in the audio design, leading some to turn off the music entirely for a better experience.
“Complementing the visuals is an exceptional musical score that perfectly captures the essence of every moment, enhancing the emotional impact of the narrative and heightening the tension during intense gameplay sequences.”
“The soundtrack also slaps, smooth as hell.”
“Love the map design, the weapon models, the reload animations are gorgeous, the tactical gameplay, music (especially the hotel trouble lobby one) and I could go on for so long.”
“The music and environment feel tense.”
“Shit game movement is very slow, can't mute the music in-game.”
“Two identical music intros play before the match starts, overlapping each other.”
- replayability108 mentions
- 41 % positive mentions
- 56 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The game offers significant replayability, particularly in its cooperative multiplayer mode, where randomized elements and varied maps keep the experience fresh and engaging. While the single-player content is perceived as limited, updates and community feedback have improved gameplay, enhancing replay value. Overall, players appreciate the challenge and variety, with many noting the potential for infinite replayability, especially in team-based scenarios.
“The randomized elements of each mission do lead to quite a lot of replayability and additional challenge each time you fail.”
“Where Zero Hour truly shines is the co-op vs. AI; if you work properly as a team, there is an endless amount of replayability in the missions due to AI being able to hide in closets, under beds, ready to pounce on you and your team the second you kick that door in.”
“For an early access title, this still retains a surprising amount of replay value and solid gameplay for its genre.”
“Zero Hour's single-player campaign may feel limited in terms of content and replayability.”
“This game has so many bugs and has low game replay value.”
“While what they were going for was a good and fun idea, this game offers little more than a Rainbow Six Siege clone multiplayer match mode, with horrible map design and little to no variation on how people actually play, and repetitive bot missions with many bugs, braindead AI, and zero replayability unless you're somehow entertained by hostages being on a different floor than last time.”
- monetization100 mentions
- 3 % positive mentions
- 9 % neutral mentions
- 88 % negative mentions
The monetization strategy of the game has drawn mixed reactions, with some players expressing frustration over the presence of DLC and microtransactions for cosmetic items in an early access title, suggesting that the game should be fully released before introducing such features. Others appreciate the absence of intrusive ads and microtransactions, emphasizing a desire for character customization options instead. Overall, players are hopeful for future content and improvements, but many feel that the current monetization approach feels premature given the game's developmental state.
“Which is my personal advice for monetization is let us create our own character and you can sell some necklaces, gloves, and other items to me at least.”
“No microtransactions.”
“You walk way too slowly and the officers run out of stamina like they have just come out of a high cholesterol factory, graphical nice needs a little polishing but very good looking game, mechanics are fun as well and hopefully no microtransactions.”
“Releasing DLC for an early access game... release your fucking game before you cash grab, you morons.”
“Compared to Ready or Not, this game has bones but absolutely no flesh to it. If I want to do solo with AI, it's impossible as the teammate AI is extremely brain dead. Since this was under $10, I'll keep the game and hope for better development, but if the price was higher, I would be asking for a refund as this game has been in development for 3 years. I expect it to be more, not even looked at PvP stuff and they have the courage to sell DLC/microtransactions for gun skins?”
“Very very hard to find a game; they care more about things that are already pretty much perfect rather than good advertisement.”
- emotional40 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by players' intense personal connections, with many experiencing nostalgia and heartwarming memories, particularly those with military backgrounds. The game's music and visuals enhance its emotional impact, evoking strong feelings ranging from joy to sadness. However, some players express frustration over the game's community dynamics and technical issues, which detract from the overall emotional experience.
“Playing Zero Hour often triggered flashbacks to my time in the service, but in a positive, heartwarming way.”
“Complementing the visuals is an exceptional musical score that perfectly captures the essence of every moment, enhancing the emotional impact of the narrative and heightening the tension during intense gameplay sequences.”
“This game makes me cry. 10/10 would cry again.”
- character development4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is highly praised, featuring a diverse cast of supporting characters with unique personalities and backgrounds. However, players express a desire for deeper mechanics, such as character skills and attributes, to enhance the overall experience and draw comparisons to games like Rainbow Six and Tarkov.
“The character development is top-notch, with a diverse cast of supporting characters, each with their own distinct personalities and backgrounds.”
“I would love a game similar to Rainbow Six but focused more on character development like Tarkov has; I think it would go really far.”
“In co-op mode, it advises that you don't shoot suspects unless they are hostile (this will get you killed a lot, I don't recommend it). I think this game has a lot of potential, but mechanics are very important. Tweaking health, bullet damage, rules, stamina, object interaction, and maybe adding skills to your character (such as a reload skill helping you reload faster, endurance, grappling, weapon handling, character level, etc.) would be beneficial. I would love a game similar to Rainbow Six but focused more on character development like Tarkov has; I think it would go really far.”
