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Crescent Moon box art

Crescent Moon

Game ID: GID0078696
Game Info
Year
2022
Players
4-5
Age
14+
Playtime
180 min
Collection
Your Tier
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Description

As the sun rises over the deserts, rivers, and oases of the Caliphate, a delicate balance has been upset. As one of many rival powers in the region, you now have the opportunity to alter the course of history and seize power for yourself. The ambitious Sultan sits in a golden palace, presiding over great works of architecture. The secretive Murshid works to covertly undermine the central authorities through an expansive network of agents.

The wandering tribes of the Nomad aim to sow discord in order to secure employment for their experienced mercenary citizenry. The ravaging forces of the Warlord sweep across the land, chasing after promises of plunder. And, in the face of chaos and uncertainty, the Caliph aims to preserve order through military might. Will you successfully navigate this web of rivalries and rise to prominence, or will you squabble with your lesser adversaries and fade into obscurity?

Crescent Moon is played over three years (or four years in the long game). Each year, players will take four actions which might be to deploy new armies, enlist mercenaries, build fortifications and settlements, conquer new land, expand their influence, and much more. Each character has a unique pool of abilities and available actions, which will shape their game, whether its the Sultan, who cannot raise their own army and must depend on mercenaries, or the Murshid, who can use their political influence to interfere in other characters' battles. Players can purchase potent power cards, representing ploys, wise advisors, and specialist units from a market shared between all players. At the end of each year, players score points according to their own unique character objectives, and at the end of the game, the player with most points wins.

Crescent Moon is an area control game for four or five players. Take on the role of one of five radically asymmetric characters, each with their own objectives to fulfil, unique actions to utilise, and game-changing special powers to employ. Build symbiotic relationships with your allies, undermine your rivals, and choose your friends and enemies wisely in this cut-throat game of power and politics.

Description

As the sun rises over the deserts, rivers, and oases of the Caliphate, a delicate balance has been upset. As one of many rival powers in the region, you now have the opportunity to alter the course of history and seize power for yourself. The ambitious Sultan sits in a golden palace, presiding over great works of architecture. The secretive Murshid works to covertly undermine the central authorities through an expansive network of agents.

The wandering tribes of the Nomad aim to sow discord in order to secure employment for their experienced mercenary citizenry. The ravaging forces of the Warlord sweep across the land, chasing after promises of plunder. And, in the face of chaos and uncertainty, the Caliph aims to preserve order through military might. Will you successfully navigate this web of rivalries and rise to prominence, or will you squabble with your lesser adversaries and fade into obscurity?

Crescent Moon is played over three years (or four years in the long game). Each year, players will take four actions which might be to deploy new armies, enlist mercenaries, build fortifications and settlements, conquer new land, expand their influence, and much more. Each character has a unique pool of abilities and available actions, which will shape their game, whether its the Sultan, who cannot raise their own army and must depend on mercenaries, or the Murshid, who can use their political influence to interfere in other characters' battles. Players can purchase potent power cards, representing ploys, wise advisors, and specialist units from a market shared between all players. At the end of each year, players score points according to their own unique character objectives, and at the end of the game, the player with most points wins.

Crescent Moon is an area control game for four or five players. Take on the role of one of five radically asymmetric characters, each with their own objectives to fulfil, unique actions to utilise, and game-changing special powers to employ. Build symbiotic relationships with your allies, undermine your rivals, and choose your friends and enemies wisely in this cut-throat game of power and politics.

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All mentions
Browse transcript mentions, sentiments, pros/cons, mechanics, topics, quotes, and references.
Total mentions: 15
This page: 15
Sentiment: pos 10 · mix 0 · neu 1 · neg 0
Mentions per page
Showing 1–15 of 15
Video v3PYnoRw2tU Rolling Dice & Taking Names Discussion at 1:08:01 sentiment: positive
video_pk 94665 · mention_pk 258659
Rolling Dice & Taking Names - Crescent Moon video thumbnail
Click to watch at 1:08:01 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
Highly Positive
Pros
  • Stunning artwork
  • Fast playtime for its complexity
  • High player interaction and negotiation
  • Meaningful asymmetry
  • Modular map setup
  • Clear player aids
Cons
  • Card market can get clogged
  • Some factions might have an economic advantage based on card distribution
  • Can be punishing if actions are wasted due to limited turns
  • Requires players who enjoy negotiation and direct conflict
Thematic elements
  • Arabic theme
  • Middle East
Comparison games
  • Chaos in the Old World
  • Pax Pamir
  • Twilight Imperium 4
  • Rex: Elite of the Arena
  • Root
  • COIN (COunter INsurgency) games
  • Cuba Libre
  • Small World
  • Game of Thrones
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
  • Action Point Allowance — Players have a limited number of actions (12) over a set number of turns (3 years).
  • Area Control — Players compete to control regions on the map.
  • asymmetric factions — Each faction has unique abilities and objectives.
  • Card Drafting — Players can draft map tiles in some variants.
  • Hand Management — Managing cards in hand is crucial for combat and influence.
  • influence — A layer of area control distinct from direct military control.
  • Negotiation — Players can negotiate deals, especially related to card sales and conflict support.
  • Worker Placement — Players place pieces on the board to take actions.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
  • you can't put it out there it's like you can never put like little video clips or pictures out on the web because it somebody will mem it or do something with it so now we found out that people will take audio clips of you singing and do stuff with it
  • if you don't play a lot there is a lot of text on the cards that you might need to hand to somebody and go could you just tell me what this does
  • I enjoy it I I enjoy these types of games games that it's strange games that piss me off why do I want to keep playing it because I know I can do better there's got to be a combo I never tried
  • if you're going to look at backing this game just know that oh I'm gonna after a couple plays I'm going to end up beating it no
  • it's like you know what better way you're at of Bakery and it we all know that I'm sorry I'm really squirreling here
  • for me it's a buy
  • The art is amazing on and it's subtle color subtle pastels and I'm just like everything well I always like to say one negative why can people not find font size 12 had to on your reading glasses I did
  • I think I think it's easier to jump into the game because the rules look more straightforward because it's it's about the stuff that you're reading and the people that you're playing with and not having to manage the actual game itself
  • It's great to be back among other people getting to play games
  • This game is an ass Whooper
  • I love how I could protect the cars how I could protect what I thought was a valuable commodity to me especially moving forward to today's times where I could sell them and finance my daughter's education
  • Ultra Pro is now an official sponsor of rdn
  • The game gets you into the story then it's up to you to go through it and complete it
  • it's a lot of little rules that you have about what needs to connect to what and everything and then what was so funny is we played with Mark who's played before
  • I think this is going to be compared to Rout a lot to where to the detriment of this game and I hope that's not the case because I too would probably prefer this over Rout
  • It was all but it's fun I'm sorry it is fun it is fun
  • this game has a middle eastern Arabic theme to it and the art style is really uh a lot like the art stle you'd see in the Middle East and everything and it's it's colorful it's just absolutely gorgeous
  • the interaction is like knives in a telephone booth almost
  • For me right now it's definitely in my list for Game of the Year easily easily
  • I will never play this game without using the leaders
  • Leaders is the way to go and then you got that extra side board that you have different sides that you can play
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video BrRCwVOQj0U Watch It Played Discussion at 2:07 sentiment: positive
video_pk 90144 · mention_pk 240483
Watch It Played - Crescent Moon video thumbnail
Click to watch at 2:07 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
  • Asymmetrical area control
  • Five wildly unique factions
  • Tense negotiations and political unrest
  • Looks beautiful
Cons
none
Thematic elements
  • Tense negotiations and political unrest across a fantasy backdrop.
  • 10th century Middle East
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
  • Asymmetrical area control — An asymmetrical area control game with five wildly unique factions.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
  • irish kings battles royale and a murder what more could you ask for i mean other than a hundred thousand dollars of prizes i suppose
  • this aspect of history is so rich and intriguing constitutional shenanigans
  • this is one of my most anticipated games of the year it's an insta buy from me
  • i like to think i keep my nose to the grindstone of bald gaming news and one thing i noticed was all this talk of a small card game from japan called scout
  • i'm a really big fan of small card games this looks like a good one
  • at its heart decorum is a pretty straightforward logic puzzle
  • so i will be awful at it but i'm bad at lots of games so why let that stop me from enjoying decorum when it's released early next year
  • the world series of board games championship slogan is leave nothing on the table and they went and put a hundred thousand dollars of prizes on the table so someone's got to take it
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video ng_gEBldjgw Getting Games Discussion at 15:07 sentiment: neutral
video_pk 89748 · mention_pk 238869
Getting Games - Crescent Moon video thumbnail
Click to watch at 15:07 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
neutral
Pros
none
Cons
  • Hard to obtain firsthand experience; awaiting play.
Thematic elements
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
Mechanics unknown.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
  • I think I might be kind of done with it
  • the best solution for us right now is my iphone
  • we filmed two more playthroughs and those realistically should be the first ones that go public
  • I really can't wait to hear what people think
  • we're hoping to put out the gallerist later this month
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video geUd5VeZfT8 Watch It Played Top 10 List at 0:20 sentiment: positive
video_pk 89675 · mention_pk 238544
Watch It Played - Crescent Moon video thumbnail
Click to watch at 0:20 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
  • Asymmetrical player powers
  • Establishing and balancing alliances and rivalries
  • Market-driven strategies
  • More bulk/depth than initially appears
Cons
none
Thematic elements
  • Power and politics
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
  • Alliance building — Players build symbiotic relationships with allies and must choose friends wisely.
  • Area Control
  • asymmetrical player powers — Players have unique objectives, actions, and special powers.
  • Market-driven strategies
  • Resource Management — Mentioned as an initial, but later corrected, impression of the game.
  • territory building — Mentioned as an initial, but later corrected, impression of the game.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
  • this is on the radar
  • i have to admit that crescent moon is a game that snuck up on me
  • there's a lot more bulk under the hood of this game than i first thought
  • soldiers in postman's uniforms it really made me wonder about the subject of this game
  • the amount of courage against such incredible odds is uh it it's almost it's overwhelming to consider
  • Far Northwood on our list is Far Northwood that's a tongue twister
  • Thematically you're trying to convince eight animal rulers to unite for the good of the forest kingdom
  • The puzzle and strategy are tricky with just enough luck involved to keep things interesting
  • it's really fun when your opponent tries to move past your giant rug island they get a bad roll they land on your carpet and now they have to pay you lots of money
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video bNT4pKZdXOE Getting Games Discussion at 0:28
video_pk 89691 · mention_pk 238594
Getting Games - Crescent Moon video thumbnail
Click to watch at 0:28 · YouTube ↗
Pros
none
Cons
none
Thematic elements
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
Mechanics unknown.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
  • this sounds really boring but essentially i built a database of all of the content that i've made over the last eight years
  • it's an incredible number i was shocked to see that
  • it's now publicly available to everybody you can go to johngetsgames.com/games and that'll take you right to a read-only version of it
  • these are essentially passion projects that i'm working in amongst the paying work that I do
  • this is essentially a 1.0 version of the junkets games database
  • it's possible at some point i will upgrade this into an actual website
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video Ikw-zJzGVL8 Nights Around a Table Discussion at 0:48
video_pk 89501 · mention_pk 237777
Nights Around a Table - Crescent Moon video thumbnail
Click to watch at 0:48 · YouTube ↗
Pros
none
Cons
none
Thematic elements
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
Mechanics unknown.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
  • Oh my goodness oh my goodness oh gosh oh God I have so many
  • It's my roommates so it's less my shelf a shame and more his shelf of Shame it's shared shame
  • Well it's actually head to the by itself now
  • I have a lot of Legacy games on my shelf of opportunity because you need the right combination of people just it's so difficult to get to the table it's a big overhead and figuring it out is a lot once you start if somebody decides they don't like it you've got problems just takes hours
  • I'm talking to somebody who's in game nine of charterstone with no hope in finishing
  • It's so terrible that they vowed me not to sell it and I've had it for so long they can basically make him make me hold on to it
  • I don't buy board games I hate to break it to you but there are yarn shells of Shame and there are bookshelves and I I have subscribed I'm at the top of the list for both of those but I'm not I can only be on so many shelves of shade the shame is gone now
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video LQzL1F4wvmU Meeple University Review
video_pk 70021 · mention_pk 166918
Pros
none
Cons
none
Thematic elements
none
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
Mechanics unknown.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
  • I love this box like I do love the artwork
  • it's critically a negotiation game
  • the card play is a huge part of the game
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video LQzL1F4wvmU Meeple University Review at 0:25 sentiment: positive
video_pk 70021 · mention_pk 239031
Meeple University - Crescent Moon video thumbnail
Click to watch at 0:25 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
  • heavy negotiation and interaction
  • clear asymmetry and distinct faction styles
  • high replayability due to maps/cards/factions
  • production quality and artwork
Cons
  • learning curve
  • requires multiple players (4-5) to avoid breakdown
Thematic elements
  • negotiation, area control, influence, warfare
  • asymmetrical war and diplomacy on a map with territories and resources
  • multiple factions with distinct win conditions and play styles
Comparison games
  • Root
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
  • Area Control — Control of territories yields benefits and income; separate military and influence controls
  • Building Construction — Players can construct fortresses, castles, towns, and cities with money
  • card-driven battles — Battle resolution uses purchased cards to influence outcomes; 'nutritional' battle with mass losses
  • destroy/sack buildings — Assaults can destroy buildings or sack them for money
  • influence control — Influence over an area provides different benefits and can contest control
  • Influence Points — Influence over an area provides different benefits and can contest control
  • map variability — Different maps provide varied layouts and strategies
  • mercenary market — Mercenaries can be hired and traded; nomads set prices; deserting mechanics
  • military control — Units, mercenaries, fortresses, and castles provide military control over areas
  • Multi-Use Cards — Cards can enable crossing a river, offering tactical options
  • Negotiation — Ongoing negotiation with other players affects outcomes; backstabbing and deals
  • negotiation and backstabbing — Ongoing negotiation with other players affects outcomes; backstabbing and deals
  • river crossing cards — Cards can enable crossing a river, offering tactical options
  • spending money to gain resources — Money is used to build, hire, and influence outcomes
  • sultan's tax engine — Sultan collects taxes from towns; controlling towns can double money and influence market
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
  • I love this box like I do love the artwork
  • it's critically a negotiation game
  • the card play is a huge part of the game
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video vjXpBzKaiq4 Meeple University
video_pk 64395 · mention_pk 166926
Pros
none
Cons
none
Thematic elements
none
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
Mechanics unknown.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
No quotes stored for this video.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video OtFgfgzz6Ds Getting Games Discussion at 31:34 sentiment: positive
video_pk 63356 · mention_pk 156723
Getting Games - Crescent Moon video thumbnail
Click to watch at 31:34 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
none
Cons
none
Thematic elements
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
Mechanics unknown.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
  • it's been a few months since we played it and i still love that game it is so good
  • arc nova is a game that i really like it's it's honestly one of the best games to come out last year
  • spoiler alert i loved space station phoenix i can't wait to play that game more
  • i was pretty frustrated playing unfathomable
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video WQQcFt006SU Rolling Dice & Taking Names Discussion at 11:06 sentiment: positive
video_pk 11055 · mention_pk 32523
Rolling Dice & Taking Names - Crescent Moon video thumbnail
Click to watch at 11:06 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
very_positive
Pros
  • thematic art and modular maps
  • deep, but approachable, mechanics with strong symmetry/asymmetry balance
Cons
  • steep learning curve for new players
  • dense decision space can be intimidating
Thematic elements
  • asymmetric factions and economic influence
  • fantasy Middle East-inspired empire-building
  • mythic, strategic negotiation and conquest
Comparison games
  • Root
  • Cuba Libre
  • Pax Premier
  • Small World
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
  • Area Control — control hex tiles to gain victory points
  • card market — cards drive actions; drafting and bidding elements appear
  • influence vs control — overlay of influence decisions on top of control
  • Negotiation — diplomacy and deals with rival factions are integral
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
  • the art was amazing
  • it's streamlined
  • a really good two merging of detective and Batman
  • Expedition Leaders... the big change
  • ultra pro is now an official sponsor of rdtn
  • the card market got clogged
  • two hours for four players
  • this game would not be up for best game we didn't play we played
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video eitSaVRVv5M Beyond Solitaire Interview at 46:59 sentiment: positive
video_pk 8358 · mention_pk 24632
Beyond Solitaire - Crescent Moon video thumbnail
Click to watch at 46:59 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
  • engaging five-player experience
  • strong table negotiation dynamics
Cons
  • theme and tone may not suit all players
Thematic elements
  • negotiation and social interaction
  • modern party/negotiation setting (not explicitly detailed in transcript)
  • tabletop social dynamics
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
  • negotiation and social interaction — players negotiate and navigate at the table to achieve goals
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
  • it's a two-player card-driven game
  • how fragile democracy is
  • stalking's wrong, but in this game you stalk the hero for music
  • press your luck trying to minimize the effects of inspections on your work
  • we're the western stand-in for RO K and US
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video UFqEpkNNnYo Foster the Meeple Top List at 10:13 sentiment: positive
video_pk 6538 · mention_pk 19357
Foster the Meeple - Crescent Moon video thumbnail
Click to watch at 10:13 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
  • strong asymmetry offers varied play
  • thematic potential is appealing
Cons
  • asymmetry can increase learning curve
Thematic elements
  • faction-based strategy with unique asymmetry
  • Asymmetrical, possibly sci-fi/fantasy setting
  • conflict-driven, variable player powers
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
  • Area Control — control of regions or resources to gain advantage
  • Asymmetrical play — different factions with unique abilities and victory conditions
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
  • 1,198 games it's too many
  • 768 that's I don't care what people say that's really good
  • we have 394
  • we're still playing games and taking names
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video Lt45YGlrK0A Rolling Dice & Taking Names Top List at 54:06 sentiment: positive
video_pk 4902 · mention_pk 14561
Rolling Dice & Taking Names - Crescent Moon video thumbnail
Click to watch at 54:06 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
  • tight two-player experience
  • rapid plays with deep decisions
Cons
  • learning curve for new players
Thematic elements
  • two-player strategy with asymmetric factions
  • fantasy-inspired moonlit world
  • thematic
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
  • Area Control — control key zones on a compact map
  • area_control — control key zones on a compact map
  • asymmetric_factions — different factions with unique abilities
  • card_play — cards drive actions and power allocation
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
  • Arc Nova let's go
  • we're the older content creators
  • it's alive
  • roll Dice and taking names
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video qpnnSSPqBZQ Our Family Plays Games Top List at 28:22 sentiment: positive
video_pk 3504 · mention_pk 10398
Our Family Plays Games - Crescent Moon video thumbnail
Click to watch at 28:22 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
  • Colorful, attractive components
  • Strong theme integration
Cons
  • Factions can be complex to learn
Thematic elements
  • Fantasy intrigue and modular player roles
  • Multiplayer intrigue with faction-based play in a fantasy setting.
  • Factions with variable abilities and asymmetry
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
  • area control / majority — Factions vie for control over regions to gain points.
  • Variable player powers — Each faction has its own unique abilities influencing strategy.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
  • let's buckle up, get you some coffee, stay tuned
  • we're going to share 20 games from 2022 we missed
  • Black History Month—five authors you should know
  • we love you family
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
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