Golden Lap

89%
Game Brain Score Based on 204 reviews
  • gameplay
  • graphics
  • music
Golden Lap Game Cover
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"Golden Lap" is a motorsport management game set in the thrilling era of open-wheel racing. As the head of a team, you'll need to make strategic decisions, manage budgets, and handle big personalities to lead your team to victory. The game offers an intense and unpredictable racing experience, with advancements in car technology and the constant threat of accidents adding to the challenge. Your goal is to etch your name in racing history by leading your team to pole position every season.

  • Mac OS
  • PC
  • Windows
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

89%
Audience ScoreBased on 204 reviews
gameplay6 positive mentions
replayability2 negative mentions
  • Golden Lap is a fun and relaxing racing management game that is easy to pick up and play, making it accessible for newcomers to the genre.
  • The minimalist art style and charming presentation enhance the overall experience, creating a pleasant atmosphere for players.
  • The game offers a unique twist with the potential for driver injuries and deaths, adding an element of unpredictability and excitement to the gameplay.
  • The game lacks depth and complexity compared to other racing management titles, making it feel repetitive and simplistic after a few seasons.
  • Many players have reported issues with the AI and difficulty balance, finding it too easy to dominate races without much challenge.
  • Qualifying and race strategies can become tedious, with some mechanics feeling overly simplistic and lacking meaningful impact on gameplay.
  • gameplay32 mentions

    The gameplay is generally described as simplistic and repetitive, with a core loop of upgrades, qualifying, and racing that can become monotonous after a few seasons. While some players appreciate the minimalist approach and find the racing mechanics entertaining, many feel that the game lacks depth and strategic complexity compared to other racing management titles. The inclusion of driver injuries and unique events adds some intrigue, but overall, the gameplay could benefit from more engaging mechanics and content to sustain long-term interest.

    • “The gameplay loop is satisfying for what it is, and I'm excited to see how future community mods will take it even further.”
    • “I like the tuning mechanic; the game feels fast and it does not bore you. I hope to see more updates and more content for this game.”
    • “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.”
    • “The gameplay balance is not perfect yet - in my experience there are too many deaths (something like 3 - 4 a year is common, way above the average for the period it's trying to emulate) and wet races come around far too often, where it becomes more like an idle game.”
    • “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.”
  • graphics18 mentions

    The graphics of the game are praised for their calming and minimalist art style, which effectively captures the essence of the golden era of motorsport without requiring high-end hardware. Players appreciate the tasteful aesthetics and the ability to modify visuals, finding the design both engaging and conducive to the game's strategic depth. Overall, the visuals enhance the experience, making it a must-buy for fans of management games, particularly on platforms like the Steam Deck.

    • “Beautiful visuals that do not require the latest and greatest graphics card is a welcome approach.”
    • “The visuals and art style are excellently done, and as a player, the excellently-written dialogue humanizes your chosen crew - whether it's a driver panicking over a punctured tire, or your crew chief informing you about an accident in qualifying.”
    • “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, no saving grace like extensive history and stats, content variability (for example 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 aspects and the immersive environment it creates, others criticize the soundtrack for being sparse and lacking the energy of previous titles. Notably, some users have expressed disappointment over the minimal music during races, which often only plays at higher simulation speeds, leading to a less engaging experience overall.

    • “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.”
  • humor2 mentions

    The game features a blend of humor and serious racing elements, providing a lighthearted experience despite its simplistic design. While players appreciate the comedic moments, they also note the need for more content to enhance the overall enjoyment.

    • “Overall, I like the time I spent with the game; the little humorous parts intertwined with the serious love of racing.”
    • “Really, this is a bare-bones race day simulator, laughingly simple and enjoyable. Yes, it needs a massive amount of content.”
  • 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 due to the ease of progression and decision-making, suggesting that introducing more challenging elements, like limited resources, could enhance the experience. Despite this, many still enjoy the gameplay overall.

    • “It is easy to become unstoppable within 3 seasons, which can make the experience a tad 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 (perhaps by limiting 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. Users 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 more rewarding experience in races. Players can expect a fixed monetary return plus additional earnings based on their racing performance, making the investment worthwhile.

    • “You get around 110 performance for $6-9 rather than about 5 for $3.”
    • “Each one will give you a fixed amount of money plus extra depending 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.”
  • atmosphere1 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is praised for its artistic and immersive qualities, providing a unique and engaging experience in racing management.

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

    The game demonstrates strong stability, running smoothly on the Steam Deck without any reported issues.

    • “Runs great on the Steam Deck as well.”
    • “The game maintains a steady frame rate, providing a smooth experience.”
    • “I haven't encountered any crashes or bugs, which makes for a stable gameplay experience.”
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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