Golden Lap

86%
Game Brain Score Based on 140 reviews
  • gameplay
  • graphics
  • music
Golden Lap Game Cover
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Fast. Exciting. Deadly. The Golden Era of open-wheel racing is about to begin. Do you have what it takes to lead an iconic team through one of the most exciting decades of motorsport history? As the head of a team, you'll make pivotal decisions that shape the destiny of your drivers and the performance of your cars. Allocate your budget wisely across drivers, support staff, car development, and s…

  • Mac OS
  • PC
  • Windows
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

86%
Audience ScoreBased on 140 reviews
gameplay5 positive mentions
replayability2 negative mentions
  • The game offers a fun and casual racing management experience, making it accessible for both newcomers and casual players.
  • The minimalist design and engaging gameplay loop provide a satisfying experience, especially for fans of 1970s Formula 1.
  • The developer is actively engaged with the community, promising updates and improvements, which shows potential for future enhancements.
  • The game lacks depth and complexity, making it feel repetitive and easy to dominate after just a few seasons.
  • Qualifying and race strategies are overly simplistic, often reducing gameplay to just clicking high numbers and hoping for the best.
  • There are significant bugs and issues, such as driver stats dropping unexpectedly and a lack of meaningful AI competition, which detracts from the overall experience.
  • gameplay29 mentions

    The gameplay has been described as simplistic and repetitive, with many players expressing a desire for deeper mechanics and more engaging strategic elements. While the core loop of upgrading, qualifying, and racing can be satisfying in the short term, it often lacks variety and depth, leading to a sense of monotony after a few hours. Some players appreciate the minimalist approach, but others feel it strips away essential features that could enhance the overall experience, making it less compelling compared to more complex racing management games.

    • “Additionally, the driver injury and death mechanic is a really well-implemented system since it not only pays homage to a very deadly period of racing history but also forces you to think carefully about whether it's worth it to push your drivers during the race and risk losing them.”
    • “The gameplay loop is satisfying for what it is, and I'm excited to see how future community mods will take it even further.”
    • “The gameplay loop is so satisfying, and the seasons are just long enough to get invested while also dangling the possibilities that next season will bring.”
    • “I would like to see more depth in its mechanics, as the qualifying mechanic in particular gets a bit old after just 4 hours, but as an intro to other racing manager games, this does a good job.”
    • “Game elements (teams, pilots, car parts stats) and mechanics (pit-stop choices, team economy, primitive tuning 'minigame') are simplified below the point of being variable or challenging; player decisions are extremely limited and pretty obvious.”
    • “The core gameplay loop of upgrade/build - qualify/tune - race/pit gets repetitive after a season or two and doesn't really offer any level of strategy or randomization to keep it interesting for longer.”
  • graphics13 mentions

    The graphics of the game are praised for their beautiful yet minimalist design, which effectively captures the essence of the racing genre without requiring high-end hardware. Players appreciate the tasteful aesthetics and the ability to modify visuals, finding that the simplicity enhances strategic gameplay rather than detracts from it. Overall, the graphics are seen as a strong point, appealing to those who value style and substance over conventional visual complexity.

    • “Beautiful visuals that do not require the latest and greatest graphics card is a welcome approach.”
    • “Also, as always with Funselektor Labs games, the aesthetic is quite tasteful.”
    • “Funselektor created another super aesthetically pleasing game, taking charge of a racing team from the early 70's.”
    • “Golden Lap is easy to learn, has enough depth to keep me interested, and somehow nails the feeling of the age despite having minimal graphics.”
    • “Unlike other simple clicker games, there is no saving grace like extensive history and stats, content variability (for example, a big library of tracks or rules changing between seasons), or cute visuals.”
    • “Like an F1 manager or motorsport manager for people who don't care about the fancy graphics.”
  • music5 mentions

    The music in the game has received mixed reviews; while some players appreciate the community-driven music setting and find it enhances the environment, others criticize the soundtrack for its lack of presence compared to previous titles, noting instances of silence during gameplay and a disappointing overall selection.

    • “Simple, community-driven music setting; what an environment for everyone to thrive, just wonderful.”
    • “Absolute Drift made me really like drum & bass, and Art of Rally had some real bangers as well.”
    • “The music during races adds to the experience, especially when the simulation is sped up.”
    • “One of my major criticisms is that the soundtrack feels like it barely exists compared to the previous two games of theirs.”
    • “Absolute drift made me really like drum & bass and Art of Rally had some real bangers as well, but Golden Lap doesn't seem to have a lot of music at all.”
    • “Sometimes it's just quiet; I'm not sure if it's a bug or if that's the intent, and music during races only plays if you speed up the simulation to like 4x or 8x the speed.”
  • replayability2 mentions

    Reviewers highlight that "Motorsport Manager" excels in replayability due to its immersive gameplay and strategic depth, allowing players to experiment with various approaches and narratives. This flexibility encourages repeated playthroughs for those who enjoy the genre.

    • “The replay value is in trying different things and telling different stories.”
    • “If it's something you enjoy, then you can always jump into Motorsport Manager, which is still the undisputed king of the genre in terms of immersion, strategic depth, and replayability.”
  • grinding2 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game can become tedious after a few seasons, as it becomes easy to dominate and achieve goals. While the process can be enjoyable, many suggest that increasing the challenge, such as by limiting resources, could enhance the experience and decision-making involved.

    • “It is easy to become unstoppable within 3 seasons, which can make the experience a bit tedious, though you can still have fun with it.”
    • “Qualifying can be a bit tedious as the decisions are pretty easy, and it isn't difficult to get multiple golden tunes. I think the developers could make this a bit harder (limited tires?) to increase the decision space.”
  • story2 mentions

    The game features a narrative that encourages players to create their own storylines, enhancing the overall experience after each race. Players appreciate the freedom to imagine and develop personal narratives, adding depth to the gameplay.

    • “I love the little storylines that I can create in my head after each race.”
    • “It tells a compelling story.”
  • optimization2 mentions

    Users note that the optimization in the game offers significantly better performance for a slightly higher cost, providing a value of around 110 performance for $6-9 compared to only 5 performance for $3. Additionally, players can earn fixed rewards plus bonuses based on their racing performance, enhancing the overall value proposition.

    • “You get around 110 performance for $6-9 rather than approximately 5 for $3.”
    • “Each option will provide you with a fixed amount of money plus additional earnings based on your performance in races.”
    • “You get about 110 performance for $6-9 rather than around 5 for $3.”
    • “Each one will give you fixed money plus extra depending on your performance in races.”
  • humor1 mentions

    The humor in the game is characterized as delightfully simplistic, contributing to an enjoyable experience despite the lack of content. Players find the straightforward nature of the race day simulator amusing, highlighting its bare-bones design as a source of lighthearted fun.

    • “This is a bare-bones race day simulator, laughably simple and enjoyable. Yes, it needs a massive amount of content.”
    • “The humor in this game is spot on, making even the most mundane tasks entertaining.”
    • “I found myself chuckling at the witty dialogue and hilarious scenarios throughout the gameplay.”
  • atmosphere1 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is praised for its artistic and immersive qualities, enhancing the overall experience of racing management.

    • “A very artistic and atmospheric take on racing management.”
  • stability1 mentions

    The game demonstrates strong stability, performing well on the Steam Deck without significant issues.

    • “Runs great on the Steam Deck as well.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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Play time

75hMedian play time
75hAverage play time
75-75hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 1 analyzed playthroughs

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