>>718218417
Transcendence is quietly the best space adventure game, aurora4x is niche and save corruptions have always prevented me from enjoying it but it is pretty sick, distant worlds universe is an easier to approach aurora4x and distant worlds 2 is a bit less soulful but still alright. Star Ruler 1 is primitive in some aspects but gives you a lot of player expression with how you can use the ship design system to do things that you can't really do in any other space game I've played. Ignore Star Ruler 2.

if you like Starsector, an old but gold game that's similar is Transcendence

it has a more fleshed-out plot and more of a linear arc to it, but much more ship and enemy variety
no RTS-like mechanics tho, at most you get a squad of other ships to help you fight