Starcom: Unknown Space

Incredible! building mechanics aren't the best and you may need to look things up from time to time but the game is great. it does have quite a lot of reading but its all interesting stuff so if you don't mind reading, its a great game.

you get to build and explore

Very fun. Easy recommendation.

Starcom Unknown space is an EXCELLENT fusion between games like Starsector and Avorion, despite being top down it's done phenomenal job at giving you that feeling of "deep space exploration", it has in-depth ship customization system, many fancy weapons, trading, story telling and Xenoculture interaction with other factions, the game also brings your ship crew to life better than any other space game i have ever played. 11/10

150% Fun.

So far, this might be the single best version of this type of game that I've yet found - and I've been looking for a long time. Overall it's much more story-driven and smaller in scope than games that promise to give you hundreds or thousands of systems*, but as a result the progression systems feel REALLY good - incrementally improving your mineral resources through trade/mining/combat, unlocking research by exploring new planets and finding cool plot-advancing artifacts, and earning XP for your command crew as you do everything else to upgrade their skills in a way that cleverly rewards specialization AND generalists. The core mysteries being revealed are compellingly intriguing, the aliens you meet are all cool-looking and unique, the writing is solid and smart... even the techno-babble is impressively science-based (or at least convincingly based in alternate understandings of physics to allow for FTL handwaviness). Again: maybe THE best version of this type of game I've played in the past 20-odd years. Reminds me of the old Escape Velocity: Nova, except with ship-building; or Starsector with much more modular ship building, more plot, and (much) less fleet-management. *And still manages to feel plenty big so far! Fingers crossed it keeps expanding and opens up some in end-game.

I love everything about this game, even the fact that it won't hold your hand in questing, and that is due to the nature and feeling of the game, it is not rushed, it is not pushing you, you do it at your own pace/leisure. You lack upgrades? go explore make some rp and metals. You stuck with questing go explore and chat with anyone, smth will turn up. Make friends, make allies, resist the religious nuts and enjoy a world that is alien and yet familiar