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Game Info
Year
2018
Players
2-7
Age
14+
Playtime
40 min
Collection
Ratings
Creator Score
Mechanic profile
Not enough video data yet
Vibe profile
Not enough video data yet
Description
An exceptional party game where imaginary ancient Egyptians are trying to overcome the language barrier with… Aliens.
In each turn Aliens would draw weird symbols, trying to explain which earthly items they’d like to collect. Puzzled Egyptians are to figure out what this could mean. On top of that, Aliens compete for being the first to grab the souvenirs and fly back home, while each human wants to be the best at learning the Alien language!
«First Contact» is perfect for associative-deductive games lovers. The unique theme adds even more fun to the game process, and every setup gives players new puzzles to solve. Incredibly good time guaranteed!
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All mentions
Browse transcript mentions, sentiments, pros/cons, mechanics, topics, quotes, and references.
Total mentions: 7
This page: 7
Sentiment:
pos 6 ·
mix 0 ·
neu 0 ·
neg 0
Showing 1–7 of 7
Video q7GXu4zhwgw
Board Game Sanctuary Top List at 9:58 sentiment: positive
video_pk 109253 · mention_pk 314981
Click to watch at 9:58 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Unique concept of language understanding
- Multiple layers of deduction and communication
- Draws on vocabulary and language acquisition
Cons
- Requires splitting into two groups
- Can be complex with multiple layers
Thematic elements
- Language understanding, creating a cipher, and communicating.
- Egyptian theme
Comparison games
- The Arrival (movie)
- Codenames
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Cipher Creation — Creating a cipher to help decipher symbols.
- communication — Players split into two groups (humans and aliens) to communicate concepts through symbols and words.
- Cooperative — One group (humans) tries to communicate to the other (aliens).
- Deduction — Humans try to deduce symbols aliens are referring to, and aliens interpret human communication.
- word association — Humans tap item cards to communicate words, reminiscent of Codenames.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- I'm always intrigued by how they might make an experience or a gaming experience feel different and feel fresh
- when I first heard about this board game it was described to me as a blend between Minesweeper and Sudoku
- there is a big risk to making a big guess because if you get it wrong you actually lose points equal to the crop level that it's supposed to be
- party games are opportunistic you know some party games really go well over with a group of people and some don't
- I can kind of describe Earth as being like wingspan 2.0 or 3.0
- everything just keeps churning and it's like a little system of actions I like to kind of describe it as a chain reaction of effects and bonuses
- this is basically the arrival the board game
- it's this leveled nuanced connection with vocabulary language acquisition that just really draws me to this game
- this game has a lot of things going on but don't let that deter you
- so I still have to explore these games a little bit deeper and these ranks might change
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video EGG8-UnGjq0
Board Gaming Ramblings Playthrough at 0:07 sentiment: positive
video_pk 85339 · mention_pk 218444
Click to watch at 0:07 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Engaging cat and mouse gameplay.
- Variety of scenarios and difficulty levels.
- Offers a good tutorial scenario for teaching the game.
Cons
- Prototype components and art may change.
- Can be difficult for the alien player, especially on a smaller map.
Thematic elements
- Alien needs to find parts to repair spaceship
- Earth
- Secret files with different scenarios and goals for the alien
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Deduction — Agents use information from their searches (where they looked and didn't see the alien) to deduce the alien's possible locations.
- Hidden Movement — One player, the alien, moves secretly on the board, while the other players, the agents, try to deduce their location and capture them.
- Movement Allowance — Different terrain types (field, forest, city) have different movement costs for the alien. Agents have different movement capabilities and restrictions.
- Set Collection — The alien's secret mission involves finding parts (engine part, cables, electronic components) to repair their spaceship.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- This is like even harder than a deduction game because the thing you're trying to find is moving around.
- The reason I guessed C was because I had two areas where you might be. While in A, I had one.
- Oh, no. Did I win? Yes. Oh, you were so close. I got you cornered down there in the corner.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video C2Wv9d3HxNQ
Board Gaming Ramblings Discussion at 6:37
video_pk 85358 · mention_pk 218518
Click to watch at 6:37 · YouTube ↗
Pros
none
Cons
none
Thematic elements
- First Contact
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
Mechanics unknown.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- My biggest let down is the rules for uh Transgalactica.
- I think it's fun that a game can be the biggest disappointment and number one in the same month.
- It's an old school Euro. Like it's high interaction, very low on the rules overhead, but a lot of interesting choices.
- I still am unbeaten in Shipyard, which I think I I just have to stop playing it now because at some time I will not I will not win.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video CRHtdL61Y_A
UndeadVikingVideos Discussion at 389:44:08 sentiment: positive
video_pk 80184 · mention_pk 194727
Click to watch at 389:44:08 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Described as a 'write and guess' type of game.
- The cooperative element of developing knowledge was seen as cool.
Cons
none
Thematic elements
- Alien and human interaction
Comparison games
- Pandemic
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- cooperative play — Players work together to achieve a common goal.
- Deduction — Players must deduce words or concepts.
- word guessing — One player gives clues using limited vocabulary for others to guess.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- I have tons of like RPG books that I'm like, why did I buy this?
- we end up in situations where there's diamonds in the rough.
- I found the complete book of necromancers. I forgot that I ever owned that.
- if you try to auction that now, um, you can get a few hundred for it, which is ridiculous.
- I'm actually excited to have like Aldi on cuz I want to talk cuz he's one of those guys that, you know, obviously he runs conventions.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video uquHbX5rUSw
The Dice Tower Review at 0:15 sentiment: positive
video_pk 11277 · mention_pk 104709
Click to watch at 0:15 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Distinct agent templates and unique abilities create varied play experiences in each game
- Thematic feel is strong and cohesive with the hide-and-seek/pursuit mechanic
- Scenarios offer good replayability and variety (including larger or smaller maps for different player counts)
- Flexible play modes (alien or agents) add to the party/game-night appeal
- Visual components (templates and meeples) are appealing and thematic
- The game can be light or deeper depending on equipment and scenario selection
Cons
- Envelope-based scenario setup can feel clunky and slow compared to a concise scenario book
- Some starting pieces and setup steps feel extraneous or overly fiddly
- Balance can skew toward the agents in some setups, reducing tension for the alien side
- Group pacing can suffer if players overthink locations; a time limit can help keep things moving
- Plastic templates upgrade is nice but not essential; cardboard templates are adequate
Thematic elements
- alien pursuit and human investigation with asymmetric roles
- Earth, where an alien has landed and humans (agents) are tasked with locating and capturing it.
- scenario-driven hide-and-seek with envelopes that define goals and win conditions
Comparison games
- Scotland Yard
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- asymmetric roles — Players take on distinct roles with unique abilities (alien vs. agents), creating different win conditions and strategies for each side.
- capture mechanics — Any agent can capture the alien by landing on its tile; various agents have unique tools that improve detection or capture range.
- detection grids and scanning — Agents can use grids or special abilities to detect the alien; success or failure informs where the alien might be and what tiles are ruled out.
- Equipment and upgrade cards — Agents and the alien can acquire equipment or abilities that modify movement, detection, or combat, adding strategic depth and variability.
- Hidden Movement — The alien moves secretly on a map, using a personal track and marker to determine its path, keeping its location concealed from the agents.
- Movement Points — Alien movement costs are variable by terrain (1 to planes, 2 to forests, 3 to cities); some areas are restricted (water, mountains). Agents have different mobility profiles and can be blocked by terrain.
- Scenario / Mission / Campaign Game — The game uses envelopes containing scenarios with setup and victory conditions; players can open them to reveal mission objectives and rules.
- scenario-based play via envelopes — The game uses envelopes containing scenarios with setup and victory conditions; players can open them to reveal mission objectives and rules.
- terrain-based movement costs — Alien movement costs are variable by terrain (1 to planes, 2 to forests, 3 to cities); some areas are restricted (water, mountains). Agents have different mobility profiles and can be blocked by terrain.
- turns and day-tracking — Play progresses in days on a track; if the alien remains uncaptured after a set number of days, different cards or events trigger, shaping the late game and potential catch-up mechanics.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- This game works really well.
- To be fair, I do like hidden movement games.
- I would have preferred they had dropped those envelopes.
- This game is everyone's hunting down the aliens a little bit like, you know, Scotland Yard and games of that ilk.
- I think this is almost a family-weight game.
- Definitely this is one to check out First Contacts.
- I like the fact that there's a smaller board for fewer players.
- It's fun to be both the alien and the agents.
- The game definitely does favor either the alien or the men in black.
- And I think that's where the fun is in the scenarios.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video -lpQra4di8Q
Actualol Top List at 3:28 sentiment: positive
video_pk 11289 · mention_pk 33166
Click to watch at 3:28 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Strong thematic coherence with clear learning-to-communicate premise
- Distinct from typical party games
- Engaging miscommunication mechanic
Cons
- Can be complex for casual players
- May require more setup to grasp rules
Thematic elements
- linguistics, cross-cultural communication, understanding alien signals
- Alien contact and language learning scenario inspired by linguistics and communication
- educational yet playful with a strong thematic fit
Comparison games
- Code Names
- Mysterium
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Deduction — Humans and aliens exchange symbols to describe concepts; humans deduce what symbols correspond to common words.
- Language learning and deduction — Humans and aliens exchange symbols to describe concepts; humans deduce what symbols correspond to common words.
- Secret offering and point scoring — Humans secretly select items to offer; points awarded when the aliens recognize a correct offering.
- Symbol grid and rotation — Aliens use a grid of pictorial symbols to represent words; humans rotate cards to hint at connections.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- this is best described as a game show for your family or your friends
- it's not the sort of game you would play all the time like Conan's
- it brings the party to life
- it just completely fit a gap in my collection
- a brilliant opportunity for miscommunication
- such a cool idea that I've never really played a game quite like it
- it's got that vibe of Happy Salmon and things like that
- you start to dissect this topic and discuss how it relates to the person giving the clue
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video Qw3uT_WthFk
No Rolls Barred Top List at 8:07 sentiment: positive
video_pk 7872 · mention_pk 23216
Click to watch at 8:07 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- smart, conceptual deduction
- teaches and models language learning and translation
Cons
- abstract for players who want a traditional board game feel
Thematic elements
- communication and understanding across unknown symbols
- humans vs aliens with a symbolic language game
- clever, conceptual deduction
Comparison games
- Darak language/deduction concepts not a direct comparison game
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- interactive guessing and learning — humans deduce concepts by pointing to cards and refining understanding
- symbol-language translation grid — humans learn alien symbols to propose offerings and translations
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- this is the collection starter and here are the top 10 games like cludo but better
- it's brilliant
- the perfect next step
- production-wise it feels like a million bucks
- it's quiet tense and thinky
- a tense beautiful little puzzle gameplay stuffed with side eye pirate paranoia
- you've got this map in front of you which can be broken up and arranged in many different ways depending on the scenario you're playing
- it's an awesome film about language the nature of communication
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Transcript Navigation
Showing 1–7 of 7