Do you enjoy hunting games?
Today, you’ll play either as one of the human hunters or as the alien trying to escape from them. Do you like hide-and-seek games with a deduction mechanic? Then let me introduce you to 1ers Contacts!

This board game, published by Explor8, is soon available on Kickstarter. We’ve already written about some of their other games (in French): Big Monster, Pirats Under Fire, Fruitoplay ou Fédération !

Spoil alert : I’m definitively backing this campaign because I tested the prototype at the board game tavern «  Taverne Njoy Games  » in Mons and I love it ! Now, let me explain how it works.

Note: The components shown in the pictures are from the prototype version except these two below

Principles of 1ers Contacts

Over the course of 6 or 8 rounds (depending on the size of the board), the Alien tries to avoid being caught by the human hunters. The Alien has their own hidden board behind a screen and uses an erasable marker to record his movements. Meanwhile, the hunters move their pawns on the main board, trying to land on the same space as the Alien to capture them.

There are different types of terrain: forest, plains, city, mountains, and lakes.

Starting point

The Alien secretly chooses a starting point on a square located in either a forest or a plain. The other players place their pawns on different city squares. The main board is divided into three zones, and at the beginning of the game, the Alien must indicate which zone he is starting in.

Progress of a round

1) Alien’s turn

The Alien can use up to 5 movement points per turn but must move at least one square each turn. They cannot end their movement on the same square twice, though they are allowed to pass through it multiple times. Each type of terrain has a different movement cost when the Alien crosses or stops on it:

• Plain : 1 point
• Wood: 2 points
• City : 3 points
• Lake or mountain : impassable

ome scenarios include specific objectives that the Alien must fulfill. For example: the Alien may be required to stop in a city and announce which city he is leaving at the beginning of his turn.

2) Hunters turn

The players decide together the turn order. Each hunter has a personal action consisting of movement (a certain number of squares) and the use of a unique power. Most of these powers involve a detection ray. When a hunter activates this power, the Alien must say whether or not he is within its range.

However, the detection ray cannot pass through mountains. This means the Alien can hide behind a mountain and say he is not detected—even if he is technically within range. If the Alien isn’t detected, the hunter must deduce whether the Alien is out of range or simply hiding behind a mountain.

That doesn’t make things any easier!

As for movement, hunters don’t use movement points. Instead, they can move a fixed number of squares each turn, with a minimum of one square. Unlike the Alien, hunters are allowed to move across lakes.

Different scenarios

There are several different scenarios that use either the small or the large board. These scenarios also introduce new hunters with unique detection abilities. For example, the Pathfinder and her dogs can force the Alien to reveal which squares (occupied by dog tokens) they used—and in which round.

Balance in the game

Midway through the game, the Alien and/or the hunters receive new power cards, depending on how many times the Alien has been detected.

Verdict

Then I played as the Alien and learned from the previous game. The Alien made big moves to stay far from the hunters. However, since the scenario required the Alien to start from a city, by the beginning of the third round we knew exactly where he was. The hunters chased and found him.

This time, I made smaller moves and stopped in a city during the penultimate round. By then, I was already far from my opponents! I had started close to them but made a big move in the fourth round—and they completely lost track of me! Their discussions trying to figure out my location were really funny to listen to.

Bluffing as an Alien

Then I played as the Alien. I learnt from the previous game. The Alien made big movements to be far from the hunters. But he started from a city (condition of the scenario) at the beginning of the third round. So we knew where he was and we chased him and found him. I made small movements and stopped on a city in the penultimate round. I was already far from my opponents ! At the beginning, I was next to them but I made a great big movements in the fourth round and they lost me ! Their discussion was really funny to hear !

Conclusion on 1ers Contacts

Great experience! This game relies heavily on cooperation and effective communication. The players must work together to deduce the Alien’s movements and predict its direction. Meanwhile, the Alien has to play strategically, since the game is asymmetrical: the hunters have special detection powers, but the Alien’s advantage is knowing the hunters’ positions and the limits of their powers—such as mountain blockages and range restrictions.

So I’m going to back this campaign because I don’t have any games like this in my collection.

Technical sheet and Kickstarter Campaign

Link: 1ers Contacts – Boardgame by EXPLOR8 — Kickstarter
Designer : Michaël Munoz
Illustration : Vidu
Publisher: Explor8
Start : 17th June 2025
Age : 14+ (can be played from 10 according to me)
Players : 2-5
Length: 60′