Codename Crescent

Codename Crescent is an Adventure, Racing, and Role-Playing game developed and published by Illusion Works exclusively for the Tropicon system, to be released worldwide on November 4, 2018. The game focuses on a popular contest known as the "Nebula Tournament", where people from all around the various galaxies and universes come together to participate in a Grand Prix, where the winner receives intergalactic fame and fortune.
It was ported to the Pacifico platform shortly after its release.
==Plot==
In a world filled with poverty, illness, and chaos, there is one refuge the world has left to take advantage of, the Nebula Tournament. Ever since the early 2040s, species from all around the multiple galaxies have met to take part in the biggest racing competition ever to be held. However, with gaining popularity, the racers of the competition began to become more corrupt and more drastic in the way that they would go around competing. There is a group of teams from all around the universe standing as a collective in order to stop the ways of the tournament and change it back to the way it used to be once and for all, for generations in the future to enjoy.
==Gameplay==
Whilst being majorly a typical racing game, Codename Crescent also has elements from other video gaming genres such as Role Playing. In Codename Crescent, you are not only restricted to racing on tracks like other Racing games such as the Mario Kart series but there is also a large open world that you are allowed to explore as much as possible. It shows more similarities to the Grand Theft Auto franchise, without the violence and other mature themes being present.
In the Role Playing element, you have the chance to explore the universe labeled "Carpe-Diem", and you can travel through the galaxy to different planets and different nations to experience the culture of those residing there. You can accept quests from the residents and collect items or skills to help pass the requirements of the quest or mission you are currently on.
===Stats===
There are seven different statistics in Codename Crescent that are customizable through the rider and their vehicle combination. Power, Resistance, Speed, Acceleration, Weight, Handling and Tactics. Power allows the rider to charge through other vehicles and possibly break them easier, resistance is how many hits your vehicle can take, Speed is how fast your vehicle is without boosters, Acceleration is how fast your vehicle can reach its top speed, Weight is how heavy your vehicle is, Handling is how easy it is to control your vehicle and Tactics is how quick and easy it is to fill up your tactical finisher. 
===Tactical Finishers===
Tactical FInishers are special moves used by the racers to help aid themselves whilst racing. They allow the racers to gain advantages over others and hopefully eventually win. Every leader of a team has one and can use them whenever they manage to fill up their Tactics meter. Once filled, they can activate their Tactical Finisher and rain havoc on their opponents. 
===Popularity===
Popularity is a very important mechanic. You can gain or lose popularity based on how you're doing in the Nebula Tournament rankings, if you're doing a good job in racing and getting in the top three places you will earn more reputation and popularity, however, if you aren't, and keep getting low placings in races you will lose popularity and become more irrelevant and obscure as the weeks pass. You have to stay on top of your game as much as possible to avoid being knocked out of the tournament!
===Unlocking Racers===
Unlocking Racers can be very difficult if there is a specific character you are trying to unlock. You can unlock characters randomly by beating them in a race, but this is only a randomized chance. However, in Rival Mode, you are sure to recruit whoever your rival in that mission is, which can make it easier to track down specific characters. There are multiple characters you can unlock this way but some are mode specific, so you will have to try every mode and method possible to unlock every character!
==Game Modes==
===Story Mode===
In Story Mode, you are given missions (or quests) by other competitors and racers in the Nebula Tournament. However, these missions have cutscenes and other special purposes which begin to construct a story within the game. Once you have completed a mission you will be rewarded generously for your efforts which often means you will receive extra parts to help improve your vehicle or rarely new characters for your roster. 
===Point-to-Point Mode===
In Point-to-Point Mode, you race against other racers in an open-world environment. You are able to drive around in your vehicle in the world of Carpe-Diem freely and you can access different missions and quests through this mode which get added to a Quest/Mission Book in your inventory, which you can then accomplish whenever you find the time to do so. 
===Circuit Mode===
In Circuit Mode, you race on a bounded track against a group of opponents. You are able to drive around the track and place the highest you can in every race. There is less freedom in Circuits than in Point-to-Point but it serves as a throwback to how older racing games worked such as Burnout or Mario Kart. Through doing so you can unlock a lot more content such as Characters and other tracks to race on.
===Knockout Mode===
In Knockout Mode, you have the choice of whether you would like to play on a track or in an open-world environment, whichever you decide to do so, you will have to race through laps, and the last place racer per lap will be eliminated from the race. As every lap closes, another racer is knocked out. When it reaches the final two racers there will be two laps instead of one to build tension, and the winner receives a miniature trophy of themselves which goes into a Trophy Case. If you collect every trophy for every default character in the game, you will unlock Rival Mode. If you return and collect every trophy for every unlockable character in the game, you will receive more money to spend in the Space Station and one final character.
===Rival Mode===
Rival Mode is initially unlocked after all the default character trophies have been earned in Knockout Mode. In Rival Mode, you are to race against another player 1-on-1 in a three-lap race, again you can decide whether it is open world or a track. If you defeat the rival and match their conditions, you can then proceed to recruit them onto your roster. There are a lot of characters that can be unlocked this way but some characters' requirements are harder to accomplish than others so you may have to result to other modes in order to eventually unlock them.
===Quick Time Mode===
In Quick Time Mode you can race single-handedly against the clock to try and accomplish new records and the like. By doing so you can increase your popularity and make it easier for people to want you to succeed or join your team. In this mode you can also set a character to race for you whilst the console is turned off or the game isn't in play, meaning you can earn more popularity points even when you're not physically playing the game.
===Space Station===
The Space Station is the hub of your purchasing needs. In Space Station, you can go shopping for items and parts for your vehicle to help boost its stats or to repair certain parts which turn ineffective after a certain while. You can buy items for your character to make them more happy and content with you and themselves and you can buy more parts to help customize your vehicle's stats or even just its look. Having a vehicle that has a signature look can help boost your popularity as you become recognizable to crowds of people for having a certain design of the vehicle.
==Racer Profiles==
There are a total of twelve racers in Codename Crescent, four of which are default and eight of which can be unlocked later on.
===Default===
Racer 	Biography 	Stats	Team 	Tactic
Atlas 	Atlas is the refined and controlled leader of the team from Neptune. Back on his home planet, he is the co-owner of the planet's greatest Garage available to the public civilians. Atlas takes great pride in running the business to the best of his ability and along the way has made a great profit in the business as well. 	 	Neptune	Tycoon Takedown
Epsilon	Epsilon is the judgmental and hyperactive leader of the Ceres team. She is very quick-witted and often oversteps boundaries with people she knows that she should be careful around. Her naivety and social skills could be misinterpreted by other competitors making her team become a social pariah among the rest of the racers in the competition. 	 	Ceres 	Trash Talking
Libra 	Libra is the civilized and charming leader of the Mercury team. He is a very deep thinker and often likes to come up with his own theories on controversial topics to judge all of those who believe otherwise. He has very strong opinions on these topics and at every opportunity questions others on those opinions and then proceeds to make judgments about the person. It is quite hard to befriend him unless you are a very tolerant being. 	 	Mercury	Controversial Conversion
Maia 	Maia is the intelligent and caring leader of the team from Haumea. She was the first person on the planet to introduce the library system to the local people of the planet and everyone enjoyed it. The planet has since become recognized for its intellect and has the smartest generation of organisms ever to exist in the universe. Maia has already accomplished a lot, but now she is willing to prove she has even more capability, especially behind the wheel.	 	Haumea 	Intellect Insomnia
===Unlocked===
Racer 	Biography 	Stats	Team 	Tactic
Linus 	Linus is the relaxed and laid-back leader of the team from Saturn. 	 	Saturn 	Saturn Shockwave
Eunice 	Eunice is the backstabbing leader of the team from Jupiter. 	 	Jupiter 	Bleeding Backstabbers
Jacqueline 	Jacqueline is the flirtatious leader of the team from Venus. 	 	Venus 	Flirtacious Firecracker
Karate Kahn	Karate Kahn is the karate champion and leader of the team from Uranus.	 	Uranus 	Martial-Art Aftermath
Erin 	Erin is the happy-go-lucky leader of the team from Eris. 	 	Eris 	Eerie Echo
Gregory 	Gregory is the intellectual leader of the team from Makemake. 	 	Makemake	Bookworm Boost
Rhythm 	Rhythm is the music-enthusiastic leader of the team from Pluto. 	 	Pluto 	Sound of the Moon
Tess 	Tess is the cheerful and delightful leader of the team from Mars.  	 	Mars 	Martian Madness
==Courses==
Course 	Description
Asteroid Assault 	A very hard course that tests racers to the limit as they have to avoid asteroids whilst racing through the course. There is no physical track but the racers have to be careful to make sure that they are going in the right direction of the finish line, otherwise, they could be disqualified or given a time penalty, which can severely reduce their chances of winning.
Ceres Crevice 	A challenging course for any racer who has not invested much time or effort into their handling skill. There are a lot of tight bends and turns to test players in their handling technique, so if you haven't already you better apply more thought to your handling if you want to succeed in this race. This track might be one of the smaller ones but it is very challenging nonetheless.
Comet Clearing 	A difficult course for any racer who is not prepared. There are a lot of hazards in this course such as mud and water which can slow down racers and make them very annoyed very quickly. However there is a way you can avoid all of this, the shortcut, however, it has been rumored that the shortcut is very risky in terms of survival. Will the racers have the courage to take the risk or will they all tolerate the course hazards?
Constellation Cave 	A beautiful and inspiring course that takes racers on a marvelous exploration through a cave underground that harbors spectacular constellations for anyone that has the pleasure of seeing the location. This course is considered the break of the Nebula Tournament as the track itself is pretty straight forward and the views are absolutely breathtaking. However, at some point there could be dripping stalactites so make sure to dodge those drops when need be.
Dark Matter Dungeon 	A near impossible course where the racers have to drive around a frightening dungeon filled with ghouls and supernatural events, complete with drawbridges and other medieval throwbacks. In most of the course, you cannot see your opposite opponents as everyone is traveling through the course individually instead of as a group previously. It also has a lot of stage hazards and even a miniature boss at the end of the level, so you better stay on your toes in this wacky ride!
Exoplanet Expedition 	A harder course which focuses on the Exoplanet which orbits a star rather than the sun. Occasionally the star will be in orbit and there will be the option to transport to the star and continue the race on there. There are a lot of gaps and spaces in the path which can make it harder for racers to stay on the path to success...
Geyser Minefield 	A very hard course which features hot water geysers. During the course, there are several randomly placed geysers that range in size and width, and they randomly set off spurting a gushing flow of hot water. If a racer is hit by one of these it could become fatal for their continuation in the Nebula Tournament. Avoid these at all costs and if you're devious enough, force other players into them!
Haumea Holiday 	A simple course which allows the racers to enjoy the fantastic views and wildlife the Haumea planet has to offer. However often racers become distracted because of the gorgeous scenery which may allow racers with high attention spans to win the race ahead of those with higher skills. 
Meteor Mash 	A moderately challenging course which specialises in meteors. Several meteors will rain from the sky in hordes and clumps, and they will drastically alter the appearance of the track as the laps pass. After the first lap, you could possibly have to drive over the remains of meteors that have already crashed into the course. The course becomes increasingly harder as time passes so try to complete the course as quickly as you possibly can.
Milky Way Retreat 	An easier course which takes racers across the Milky Way galaxy. Similarly to Asteroid Assault, there is no specific track to keep to so you have to make sure that you are going the right way to ensure that you can stay in the Tournament. It is hard to navigate through the Milky Way, but the more talented racers shouldn't have too much trouble with this course.
Mercury Madness 	A moderately hard course that features the racers as they race across Mercury. If the racers aren't careful, they could burn easily from the intense sunlight on the planet, therefore they need to ensure that they stay in the shade when possible and do not become overheated. If a racer manages to become overheated then their vehicle will not perform as well as it did prior.
Nebula Finale 	The hardest course in the game. It is a combination of every course with added stage hazards to make one hell of a final ride.
Neptune Nightmare 	A somewhat easy course for the racers as they travel across Neptune. Due to not getting much sunlight, the course will occasionally dimmer and continue to dim until the screen is pitch black to add more suspense and luck to the game instead of everything being skill-based. It doesn't help that a lot of the track meanders too, making it hard to track exactly where you are going.
Orb Ordeal 	A very challenging course that will require the most precise concentration to complete. The racers have to travel across floating spheres which all have different gravitational pulls, meaning that if they make one sharp turn or jump too high then they could be set on an unexpected voyage around the fabrics of time and space. They need to make sure that their weight is heavy enough for them to outlast the competition on these minimal-gravity plains.
Quasar Quake 	A relatively hard course that challenges racers with the condition that they may not be able to see correctly. As quasars tend to be very bright as they are the crashing together of galaxies, there will be periods of time in the race where you will not be able to see the race course properly. The bright lights will take over the screen making it harder to navigate through the course.
Red Dwarf Redemption 	A small course which only has one single lap which features the Red Dwarf planet in the solar system. Due to being a 'dwarf' planet, there is only one single lap around the course. There are several twists and turns which make the steering a little more tricky than other courses but overall there shouldn't be too much trouble for the racers.
Satellite Sensation 	A very large course that features the racers as they travel across a series of Satellites. There are no laps in this course, just a long track that has a starting and finishing position. After a certain amount of racers cross it, the satellite will break and no longer be able to be crossed. This happens until there are only three racers left and they are pitted against one another in a heated final race to the finish.
Shooting Star Joyride	A very simple track however it is one of the most hazardous courses with stage hazards. Constantly there are shooting stars landing on the track which can severely damage a racer's vehicle. If you are hit by a shooting star twice in the same race then your vehicle will become unstable and eventually not be able to be used to complete the course. It is very rare that every racer individually finishes this track.
Saturn Showdown 	A very short course that pits racers in direct competition with one another in heated battles. The course is aligned with every racer having a partner whilst on the ring of Saturn. When half of the competitors have been knocked off the ring, the remainder of the ring vanishes and the race continues on the planet. This course is very competitive and is the perfect opportunity to blow off some steam in the Nebula Tournament.
White Dwarf Walkway 	A small course that only features one single lap with the White Dwarf planet in the solar system. The whole course plays in a more slower motion compared to the other courses and it can be harder to anticipate turning around corners. Due to the slower driving speeds, this course takes a little longer to complete compared to the other courses but it's also quite easier compared to some others.
==Quests==
There are a total of fifteen quests in Codename Crescent, some of which help you unlock character quicker whilst others give you in-game rewards to help boost your team. The quests (if done in chronological order) help align a story and give the game some depth, whilst also giving an insight into the life of the characters on their home planets and their racing careers. Once all quests are completed you are then able to play in the Nebula Finale, the final race of the season.
Quest No.	Title 	Description 	Reward
01 	Cosmic Dust 	The first quest given to Atlas. An elderly lady in your local village asks you if you can fetch her some moon fruit (an exclusive delicacy to Neptune) from the local market whenever you have some spare time on your hands. After buying her five moon fruits and returning them to her, she is overjoyed with the result. She also informs you that her granddaughter might be interested in joining the race, and she tells you where she is. 	Information on Recruiting Eunice
02 	Backstabbers Ahoy! 	The continuation of the first quest which activates once you arrive on Eris. You follow the direction of the elder to find a hut where the girl you're looking for supposedly lives. You enter and she appears startled by your appearance. You explain to her that you came because her grandmother expressed that she showed interest in racing. She agrees and then proceeds to introduce herself as Eunice. 	Recruited Eunice
03 	Red Rogue 	The beginning of the second quest which can be given to any player as long as you are on Mars. A weird individual with red hair will ask you if you can spy on the opposing teams and gather information on them as the Mars team is behind. Upon doing so for every other planet the individual will reveal to be Tess, and then you can recruit her onto your team. 	Recruited Tess
04 	Garage Getaway 	Upon visiting any Garage this quest can be activated. Once you leave you will be asked if you can help one of the mechanics by taking them to one of the suppliers for the garage. Once accepted, you and the mechanic will begin to drive to the supplier but things turn sour quickly when a rival team notices you're an opposing team, and they try to take you off the road. If you survive, you will get some new vehicle parts. 	Vehicle Parts
05 	A Beam of Light 	After finishing 20 races, you will unlock this quest. You will be altered that a strange beam of light has appeared, which appears to direct you to an unknown location. If you decide to follow the light, you will unlock a new race course, Quasar Quake. 	Unlocked Quasar Quake
06 	The Martial Arts Master 	Upon landing on Uranus, you will be alerted by the locals that there is a Dojo available to everyone who likes to practice their Martial Arts skills. You visit the Dojo and the leader is inside fighting against a grasshopper (a newcomer to the Dojo). The leader will then introduce himself as Karate Kahn and he will offer to fight you in return for his allegiance. You accept and a mini-game begins, and if you defeat him you will unlock Karate Kahn as a fighter. 	Recruited Karate Kahn
07 	Good Things Come In Small Packages	After finishing 50 races, you will unlock this quest. You will receive a strange letter from an unknown source that a new race course has been sighted somewhere in the atmosphere. If you proceed to explore the galaxy you will uncover White Dwarf Walkway, and unlock it as a race course. 	Unlocked White Dwarf Walkway
08 	The Treasures of Venus 	Once you arrive on Venus you will begin to notice statues everywhere in a local town. The statues resemble a woman known as Jacqueline who is praised for her beauty and charm. If you continue to look around the Town you will stumble across a Tavern where this Jacqueline spends most of her time at, which has become a popular destination on the entire planet. If you enter you will find Jacqueline inside and she will be available to recruit. 	Recruited Jacqueline
09 	Ring of Fire 	Once you approach Saturn, you will first land on the ring outside of the planet as Saturn is very high on security. You will meet a man called Linus and he will guide you through the planet and help you avoid traps placed by the government on the planet to keep out intruders. He will then take you to a small clearing with a bazaar where you can purchase rare products and the like.  	Information on Recruiting Linus
10 	A Silhouette of Saturn 	If you talk to Linus again the second half of the quest will activate. He informs you that apparently a shadowed figure had followed the group from when the tour began, and has been able to avoid all the traps. He suspects it's a spy from a rival team, and he asks you to track down the shadow. You continue to look around the planet and you manage to find the figure, who was just Tess messing with the team. You report back to Linus that everything has been taken care of and then he can be recruited. 	Recruited Linus
11 	The Chameleon Soul 	This quest can only be unlocked if Linus is already recruited onto your team. Linus explains to the team that there is a small moon that has only recently become inhabited, however, they are already doing quite well in the tournament, so it might be beneficial to check it out. You visit the place called Eris, and you come across a strange girl who goes by the name of Chameleon. She will ask you what your business is with the planet and you start a conversation. She then proceeds to tell you that she's always wanted to visit a small temple that is located on the planet but has never had the opportunity to do so. 	Information on Recruiting Erin
12 	Enter: The Chameleon 	If you go back to Chameleon and tell her that you want to take her to the temple she will be delighted. You proceed with visiting the temple and begin to explore the inside of it with her. She takes several pictures of the carvings on the walls and other notable secrets of the temple. Chameleon then places her hand against a wall and a secret door opens in the temple, which leads to an undiscovered room. You explore the room with her and find a mysterious orb that is glowing with a pitch-black aura, and Chameleon picks it up and places it in her bag. Once you leave she tells you how grateful she is that you helped her and she will be available to recruit.	Recruited Erin
13 	Garage Getaway II 	Upon visiting any Garage this quest can be activated. Once you leave you will be asked if you can help one of the mechanics by taking them to one of the suppliers for the garage. Once accepted, you and the mechanic will begin to drive to the supplier but things turn sour quickly when a rival team notices you're an opposing team, and they try to take you off the road. However as this is the second time, it will be more difficult than the previous quest. If you survive, you will get some new vehicle parts. 	Vehicle Parts
14 	Brainiac Science 	Once you arrive on Makemake you will be cautioned to avoid the volcano activity on the planet as they have weird patterns of setting off. You notice a man near one of the volcanoes who appears to be making notes on their activity. You approach him and he advises you to not get too close to the volcano otherwise it might set off. Maia walks up to him and explains that she too has researched the activity of volcanoes on Makemake and she helps him with his results. He is overjoyed with the results and he is then able to be recruited. 	Recruited Gregory
15 	The Beats and Rhythms 	This quest can only be unlocked once every other character has been recruited. You arrive on Pluto and are immediately struck by how cold the weather is, and you take refuge inside a local house. Rhythm, a native, is inside and is confused as to who you are, but once you've explained yourself he takes sympathy on the team and offers to make you some tea. Rhythm then explains that he is saddened by how Pluto is no longer able to race in the Nebula Tournament as the entire team has been ill for a long time. You then ask him if he would like to join your team and represent Pluto in his own right, to which he agrees wholeheartedly. 	Recruited Rhythm
Final 	Nebula Finale 	Unlocked once every quest in the game has been completed and every character is recruited. With your ultimate team assembled to take down the cheating and deceitful threats of the universe in racing, there is only one force left to stop, the Earth force. Earth has been known for playing the game in the dirtiest fashion possible for thousands of years. After completing this final leg in the Tournament, the Earth team is defeated and they leave the universe for good. Every team then celebrates with a party and everything returns to normal...or does it? 	Game Completion
==Trivia==
*Codename Crescent has been stated as having a very large roster, which was backed up with the leak of there being over 50 characters in the game overall, but it is still not confirmed to this date.
**However the information is contradictory as there have only been four characters revealed so far, none of which were included in the supposed 50 that were leaked.
**This was proven false as the game has only 12 characters available for use. However, through data mining into the game, there are several more racers that have been programmed into the game but were scrapped somewhere along the line in development.
*Codename Crescent is the first racing game developed by Illusion Works.
*Codename Crescent is also one of two of the first original games from the company, the other being Black Magic.
*Surprisingly, Earth is the only planet to not be represented with a playable character. This is mainly due to the Earth team being the main antagonist in the game.
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