Best space sim in years.
Your ship is actually organic, and "grows" with experience, giving you automatic upgrades the longer you play. As the ship grows you can also add purchased upgrades, so there's a level of customization allowed, but not the degree that economy driven games require. The universe is vast, and you can explore freely, though the story line leads you along and exploration is essentially optional. The side missions are pretty minimal, so there's not a big reward for exploring outside the story line. The various races feel alien, too, so it's intriguing and threatening to interact with them. There are lots more story possibilities in the universe they've created.
The story line is solid - a scifi epic that it's fun to get swept up in. The heroine/love interest is just average - not someone to go to the ends of the universe with - but she adds to the overall story.
This is one I'm hoping will have a sequel.