Takes all the best parts of the previous BF games and mixes 'em into a game that is both addictive and beautiful.
Some of the things I love about this game
The little graphical touches that Bullfrog has always been so good at, such as the way the aliens pet the cats, the dope-like plant, the way the aliens swim in the lakes
The way in the buildings are stored in neat little crates that can be moved about at will
The way in which your space station can be made to be self-sufficient or alternatively become a galactic trading post
The way the aiens have different moods/emotions/needs that need to be catered for.
Things that pissed me off about it:
The bombs that agents can place on your station, because it's so damn hard to find them when the station gets too big. Thankfully the damage they do isn't too great.
The way you can only look at one message at a time on screen, and how they get deleted straight after viewing. There should be some kind of email system like in Hardwar or Deus Ex.
Similarly the way you can only deal with one trader at a time.
The way in which the CPU player can open/close a way to your segment if they wish, but you can't lock them out if you want to.
The way in which some things aren't made clear in the tutorials and not really explained later on, such as the different buildings and their uses and the different needs of the aliens (such as type of food they like and what buildings attract them, for example).
Conclusion:
On the whole, the game is fun to play but it has so many things wrong with it. If you get pissed off easily with small annoyances I would look elsewhere, maybe Dungeon Keeper 2. If you have the patience to stick with it through the stupid parts you might find this game is extremely absorbing, addictive and strangely relaxing.