With the exception of Duke Nukem 3D, this was the best entry in the franchise and marked it's peak.
The plot was admittingly unoriginal though. It's basically a rehash of Time to Kill on the N64. Once again, evil aliens are utilizing time travel to change Earths history and wipe out humankind and it's up to Duke to stop them by traveling through time himself. But here, it's more story based and enjoyable with more voice acting and cutscenes thrown into the mix.
Gameplay wise, Zero Hour is somewhere between Duke Nukem 3D and Time to Kill. While there are still some traces of Tomb Raider style third-person gameplay, there is less platforming and jumping involved. The controls were better too, allowing better aiming and movement for Duke to fight his alien foes and explore his surroundings. Plus, rescuing babes from cocoons is reintroduced from Duke Nukem 3D.
You'll time warp across over twenty levels wielding an assortment of badass weapons like pistols, shotguns, gatling guns, rocket launchers, and others. You'll battle Pig Cops, Enforcers, Octobrains, Drones, and Zombies. You'll fight giant bosses at the end of each time period. You'll even confront villainous historical figures, such as George Armstrong Custer and Jack the Ripper.
The graphics were a step up from Time to Kill. Everything looks smoother and more detailed, from the level designs to the enemies. Speaking of which, the levels looked awesome, from modern day to post-apocalyptic New York City, Calinfornia in 1858, and Victorian England. Being a big zombie fan, I enjoyed the England levels the most.
The sound effects were a riveting mix of sci-fi and action effects, such as gunfire, explosions, and advanced technology noises. The enemies sound authentic and even intimidating at times. Jon St. John once again pulls of a fantastic job voicing Duke with his cool one-liners and quips. The music was cool sounding, with rock and grunge in the city levels, while more era appropriate tunes played in the past stages.
The multiplayer was fun and extensive. There were over 15 different levels where you could play Deathmatch, King of the Hill, Last Man Standing and Team Duke Match. I had a blast playing in back in the day with my friends.
If you're into classic games that involve gruesome violence, a snarky 80's action film styled protagonist, and time travel, try playing this on an emulator and witness one of Duke Nukems finest games.
