Designers / Publisher / Year: Bruno Cathala, Bruno Faidutti / Matagot / 2015
Player Count / Playtime: 2 Players / 30 mins
Genre / Type / Mechanics: Fighting, Action Selection, Action Points, Hand Management, Grid Movement, Take That
Raptor is one of my favorite two-player games. It’s fast, tense, and full of clever decision making. Also, who doesn’t love a dinosaur theme?
At its core, it’s an asymmetric cat-and-mouse game. One player controls a mother raptor trying to protect and escape with her babies, while the other controls a team of scientists trying to capture them. Each side has a different win condition, which makes every game feel dynamic and competitive.
The game runs on a really clever card system. Both players have the same set of numbered cards (1–9), and each round you secretly choose one to play (I love this mechanic in any game). The lower-value card gets to use its special action, while the higher-value card generates action points equal to the difference between the two cards, which you can spend on movement, capturing, or other abilities. This creates a constant push and pull: do you go low for a powerful ability, or go high to try and gain action points? It’s a simple mechanic, but it leads to a lot of meaningful decisions that can affect the game.
What I really enjoy is that even though there’s some luck in not knowing what your opponent will play, there’s also a strong mind-game element. You can see which cards your opponent has already used, so you can start to bluff, predict, and narrow down their options over time. That back-and-forth makes every round feel like a mini battle of wits.
Setup is quick, and I love that you can vary the board layout each time, which keeps the game feeling fresh and forces you to adapt your strategy. It’s easy to learn in just a few minutes, but there’s enough depth to keep it interesting game after game.
Raptor plays fast, feels different every time, and always creates those “just one more game” moments.
Score Breakdown
| Category | Description | Score (1–10) |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Aesthetics & Components | Visual design, artwork, tactile quality, and overall presentation. | 7.5 |
| 2. Rules Clarity & Accessibility | Ease of learning, clarity of rulebook, setup time, and iconography. | 8 |
| 3. Strategic Depth | Amount of meaningful decision-making and long-term planning. | 6.5 |
| 4. Luck vs. Skill Balance | How fairly chance and skill coexist. | 7.5 |
| 5. Player Interaction | Engagement and social dynamics between players. | 10 |
| 6. Pacing & Downtime | Flow, engagement, and smoothness of play. | 8.5 |
| 7. Replayability | Longevity, variability, and continued appeal. | 7 |
| 8. Theme Integration | How well the mechanics and story fit the theme. | 6 |
| 9. Enjoyment & Emotional Impact | Pure fun factor-excitement, tension, satisfaction. | 7.5 |
| 10. Innovation & Uniqueness | Creativity, originality, and distinctiveness from other games. | 8 |
| Final Average Score | 7.65 / 10 | |
Verdict: A smart, fast-paced two-player game with a brilliant card system and just the right mix of strategy, bluffing, and replayability. Definitely recommend!
Reviewed on 04/19/2026