Manifest

About this board game

Manifest is a 2014 board game for 2–5 players, with games lasting around 90 minutes. Set during the roaring ’20s, it challenges you to build a successful shipping company by moving passengers and valuable cargo across wild oceans.

To score points, complete Contracts by collecting the required goods or passengers at their source and delivering them to the correct destination. You can pursue private contracts or compete for public ones, creating multiple routes toward victory as you decide where to send your ships.

The journey is filled with nautical hazards and opportunities for disruption. Pirates, terrifying storms, and a stock market crash can threaten your plans or reduce the value of your goods, while multi-purpose action cards offer useful choices and opportunities to interfere with rival shipping companies.

• Move passengers and cargo between sources and destinations.
• Complete private and public Contracts to earn points.
• Manage hazards including pirate robbers, storms, and a stock market crash.
• Use multi-purpose action cards to support your plans or hinder opponents.

Manifest offers two ways to play. Standard mode is designed as an introductory and family game, using a blind card draw. Expert mode replaces that draw with a deck-buying and deck-building mechanism, adding another strategic layer for confident players.

With its blend of cargo delivery, contract completion, shifting values, and direct interaction, Manifest gives players several ways to pursue success while testing their nerve on the high seas.