Overview
At a glance
Is this game right for my group?
ABG editorial scores on a 1–5 scale.
Harder to teach
High replayability
Highly interactive
Scales well
Deep strategy
How it plays
How does it play?
Description from the publisher: Manipulate is a card focused board game which is set in London for 3-6 players. Each player is power hungry and trying to make it in the big city.
Core mechanisms
Key systems that shape the decisions players make.
Read the full game description
Description from the publisher: Manipulate is a card focused board game which is set in London for 3-6 players. Each player is power hungry and trying to make it in the big city. You win by having the most “Power” at the end of the game. But you need to watch out; everyone else has their own agenda too. You each have an identity; Media Mogul, Tech Entrepreneur, Politician, Criminal Mastermind, Corrupt Copper or Celebrity. Just like in real life you will all be colluding and stabbing each other in the back. Similarly, you will all have "Skeletons" in your closet, representing your scandalous and misspent past. Starting with a “chicken feed” salary of £100k, a few “Favours” in your pocket and ideas for new “Business Ventures” you build up a shady empire; from newspapers to apps and record labels to gambling rackets. As well as earning you more cash, each Venture gives you more Power while you control it. As a bonus, Ventures that are related and colour coded to your identity give you extra Power. For example, the Media Mogul will seek to own the Daily Hate Newspaper. As well as setting up Ventures, players take turns to make deals, extort enemies and use “Favours” to attack rivals or give themselves a boost. The game also allows for bluffing with Favours, which is one way to manipulate the situation to your advantage. They say the road to Power is paved with good intentions and some Favours offer a shadier path. If a Favour is illegal, like arms dealing or expenses fraud, playing this card will cause you to receive a "Skeleton" in your closet. These must be closely guarded as if uncovered, can cause you to lose Power. Build an empire and amass Power by manipulating your rivals...