Breaching into the world of Zero Hour

It's midnight. 

A team of five highly trained operatives, armed with an array of weapons and equipment, are waiting just outside a house to undertake a hostage rescue mission. Their objective — to retrieve the hostage while the armed captors lay waiting. 

Both sides have a limited time to defend and complete their objectives, and it requires planning to do so.

The scenario described above may sound familiar to video game enthusiasts. For those less familiar, it's a common pattern in strategic first-person shooter games that have gained popularity in recent years. It started with the groundbreaking game 'Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege,' known for its slower, strategic gameplay, unlike the more popular fast-paced shooters.

The idea of a similar game emerging from a Bangladeshi venture might seem far-fetched, especially considering Rainbow Six was published by Ubisoft, a giant in the gaming industry. Yet, it happened — and not too long ago, on 10 September.

The name of the game is 'Zero Hour' and it was published jointly by Attrito and M7 Productions. The game is available on Steam for only $10, and a $10 gift card would cost you around Tk 1,375.

"We didn't have a specific theme in mind when the idea for the game first came up," explained Meheraj Maruf, one of the Co-Directors of the venture. 

"Our goal was simply to create a standard 5v5 tactical FPS game. A few friends and I had already designed a prototype of a house map, which eventually became the Residential House map in the game. That's when we realised we could create our own game," he added.

'Zero Hour' is a military term referring to the exact time when an operation is scheduled to start, which fittingly describes the game itself. It's a 5v5 tactical military shooter where players engage in missions with various objectives. While it shares similarities with games like Rainbow Six Siege or Ghost Recon, it stands apart and differs significantly from Counter-Strike.

The inspiration for 'Zero Hour' came from a single map designed two years before the game's development began. Initially, the creators just wanted a fun environment where they could shoot at each other. From this simple idea, the game expanded into multiple maps set in familiar environments, with missions inspired by real-life events. 

The creators aimed to give the game a SWAT-like feel, influenced by Maruf's experience playing 'SWAT 4.' Remarkably, the game was programmed entirely by Meheraj Maruf, who handled the complex coding needed to ensure smooth gameplay, focusing on player experience over flashy graphics. 

Maruf's journey into game development started at age 13, and after a decade of learning and real-world experiences, 'Zero Hour' stands as a remarkable achievement, showcasing his dedication and skill in the industry.

But as mentioned before, this game is almost similar to some other titles in the global industry. Anyone who has enough experience playing FPS games will probably notice some basic similarities between Zero Hour and the other games. But there are unique elements to this game.

Maruf pointed out that the maps are the most standout feature of 'Zero Hour.' He also highlighted the game's setting in Bangladesh, adding, "the environment will be familiar and unfamiliar at the same time for a video game." 

Maruf continued, "We tried to keep the premises and technicalities of the game as realistic as possible." He contrasted this with Rainbow Six, "even if you look at R6, it has shifted more towards sci-fi over the years. But we stuck to being realistic."

There are differences in terms of gameplay as well. Sure there aren't any drones to scope out the enemy and the objective in Zero Hour. But there are mechanics like cutting the power lines of a location, which nearsights the opposing team. The build going into a round needs to be made accordingly with these details in mind.

The game also offers canine units. These canines are infants when the game is being played for the first few times, and gradually grow up and need to be trained before they accompany the player in an actual mission. This is a feature which is not offered by any other game, unless someone considers 'Warframe' to be an FPS.

The developers are currently focused on improving the game through initial updates and patches, aiming to make it as refined as possible. However, looking further ahead, their goal is to expand the game and its story through DLCs, similar to what many other games are doing. While they hoped for success, the initial response has exceeded their expectations. If things continue to go well, 'Zero Hour' could become a significant achievement for the Bangladeshi gaming community.