Watching bears compete for the best fishing spots along Alaska's Brooks River is one of nature's most iconic spectacles. In Katmai: The Bears of Brooks River, you'll be doing exactly that, taking control of rival bears as they battle for dominance, catch fish, and stake their claim to the river.
This gorgeous two-player game combines area control and tactical decision-making in a package that plays in around 30 minutes. For me, that's one of Katmai's biggest strengths. It's quick to teach, quick to play, and easy to get back to the table, while still offering plenty of meaningful decisions throughout.
The beautiful artwork and production immediately draw you into the theme, while the gameplay does a fantastic job of making you feel like you're competing for the river's best fishing spots. With different challenge levels and a variety of scoring card combinations to choose from, there's plenty of replayability packed into a surprisingly small box.
Katmai is the kind of game that feels approachable from your very first play, yet leaves you wanting just one more game once it's over.
First Impressions
Before I even got Katmai to the table, I had a feeling it was going to be something special. The box art immediately draws you into the theme, showcasing the beautiful wildlife and scenery of Katmai National Park. It's the kind of game that makes you want to open it up and start exploring straight away.
Thankfully, the quality doesn't stop with the box. The cards and components continue that same high standard throughout. The wooden bears and initiative marker feel great in hand, and the artwork on the bear cards does a fantastic job of capturing the personality of each individual bear.
What really stood out to me, though, was the obvious passion the designers have for the subject matter. As you read through the rulebook, you learn that every bear featured in the game is based on a real bear that has been observed along Brooks River over many years. There's even a section near the back of the rulebook dedicated to these bears, giving a little background on each one.
It's a small touch that absolutely didn't need to be there, but it adds so much charm to the experience. More than once, after playing a bear card, I found myself flicking through the book to read about the real-life bear behind it. It's details like these that help Katmai feel like more than just another nature-themed board game and show just how much care has gone into bringing this remarkable place to life.
Gameplay Experience
One of the things I really like about Katmai is just how quickly you can get it to the table. Setup is refreshingly simple. Each player takes one of the two bear decks, the river tiles are laid out, a set of challenge cards is chosen, and you're almost ready to begin.
At the start of each round, both players randomly remove two cards from their deck and set them aside. The remaining ten cards are then used for that round, before all twelve cards are shuffled back together and the process repeats. It's a simple system, but one that adds a nice level of uncertainty. You know what bears your opponent could have available, but never exactly which ones have made it into their hand for that round.
From there, both players are competing over the same river. Each turn, bears are played face down onto river tiles before being revealed simultaneously. As bears enter the river, they establish dominance over different sections, and at the end of the round players compare their influence to place beeples and work towards the shared challenge cards, catching salmon and scoring points along the way.
What impressed me most is how much tactical depth is packed into such a simple ruleset. The game is incredibly easy to learn, but every placement feels meaningful. Both bear decks are very similar, yet different enough that they encourage slightly different approaches, and the various bear abilities create plenty of opportunities for clever plays.
One mechanic that I particularly enjoyed is the priority token. Before playing a bear, you have the option of handing priority to your opponent, forcing them to commit their bear first. It sounds like a small decision, but it creates some wonderfully tense moments. There were times when I happily gave away priority to gain more information before making my move, and others where I knew I absolutely had to keep it. Not only can it determine whose abilities resolve first, but it can also be crucial when contesting ties on the river.
The victory conditions add another layer to this tension. Most games will end when a player has two or fewer beeples remaining at the end of a round, at which point scores are totalled to determine the winner. However, there's always the threat of a dominance victory hanging over the game. If one player manages to place four more beeples than their opponent in a single round, they immediately win the game outright. I really like this because it stops players from becoming too comfortable. Even when you're ahead on points, you still need to pay attention to what's happening on the river, as one strong round from your opponent can suddenly end the game.
That's what Katmai does so well. The rules stay out of the way, allowing the focus to remain on the decisions themselves. It never feels overwhelming, yet there are enough meaningful choices packed into every game that I was constantly thinking about what my opponent might do next and whether I was committing my bears to the right stretch of river.
Who Is It For?
Katmai is the sort of game that I think will appeal to a surprisingly wide range of players. As a two-player-only game, it's an excellent choice for couples, but it's equally enjoyable as a quick game with a friend or family member.
The rules are straightforward enough that newer gamers should have no trouble picking it up, yet there's enough depth hidden within the bear abilities, challenge cards, and timing decisions to keep more experienced players engaged. The more you play, the more you start to recognise opportunities, learn how the different bears work together, and appreciate the tactical decisions available to you.
While Katmai is competitive from start to finish, it never feels mean-spirited. You're constantly contesting the same river spaces and scoring opportunities, but there isn't the kind of direct take-that interaction that can sometimes sour a lighter game. Instead, it feels like a battle of positioning and timing, where success comes from making better decisions rather than simply disrupting your opponent.
The theme also helps create a wonderfully cosy atmosphere. Between the beautiful artwork, the real-life bears, and the peaceful setting of Brooks River, Katmai manages to feel relaxing even when the competition is tight. It's a combination that works incredibly well and makes the game easy to bring back to the table again and again.
Highlights and Drawbacks
One of Katmai's biggest strengths is how much game it packs into such a short playtime. Matches rarely outstay their welcome, yet every decision feels meaningful. The simple rules, tactical depth, and varied challenge cards combine to create a game that's easy to teach but rewarding to revisit.
I also loved how strongly the theme comes through. The artwork is beautiful, the production quality is excellent, and the inclusion of real bears from Brooks River adds a level of authenticity and charm that I wasn't expecting. It's clear that a lot of care and passion has gone into bringing Katmai National Park to life.
The priority token is another highlight for me. Such a small rule creates some wonderfully tense decisions and adds an extra layer of strategy without making the game any more complicated. It's exactly the sort of elegant design choice that helps Katmai stand out.
As for drawbacks, there really aren't many. My biggest complaint is an incredibly minor one, but I just couldn't get behind the term "Beeples" for the bear markers. I know exactly why it's called that, and I'm sure plenty of people will find it charming, but every time it came up it felt a little out of place in a game that otherwise does such a great job of immersing you in its theme. It's hardly a dealbreaker, but it's one of those tiny details that never quite clicked with me.
Final Thoughts
Katmai is a game that surprised me. On the surface, it looks like a light, nature-themed two-player game with beautiful artwork and simple rules. While that's certainly true, there's also a surprising amount of tactical depth hiding beneath that welcoming exterior.
What I enjoyed most is how effortlessly it gets to the table. It's easy to teach, quick to set up, and plays in around 30 minutes, making it the sort of game that's easy to suggest when you're looking for something engaging without committing an entire evening. Despite that shorter playtime, it still manages to offer plenty of meaningful decisions.
The theme is another huge strength. From the artwork and components to the real-world inspiration behind the bears themselves, everything feels thoughtfully put together. It's clear that a lot of care has gone into celebrating Katmai National Park and the wildlife that calls it home, and that passion shines through every part of the experience.
Most importantly, Katmai strikes a balance that I really appreciate. It's competitive without feeling mean, strategic without being overwhelming, and cosy without becoming boring. Those are qualities that can be difficult to get right, but Katmai manages them with ease.
If you're looking for a two-player game that's quick to learn, rewarding to explore, and packed with charm, Katmai is well worth checking out. It's the kind of game that leaves you wanting "just one more round", and one I'll happily keep coming back to whether I'm introducing someone new to modern board games or simply looking for an enjoyable half-hour at the table.
