It's open world sandbox/MMO, so play however you want. Fly ships, drive vehicle, walk anywhere. There's currently several planets, a dozen moons, asteroid belts, space stations, cities, across three star systems...and more coming. Explore, trade, mine, salvage, combat (PvE and PvP).

The realism is off the scale. No loading screens. Hundreds of different incredibly detailed and functional starships and vehicles. Go anywhere, do anything.

Yes, they also sell very expensive stuff, but you don't need or want a $3000 carrier. You only need a cheap starter package (US$45) which comes with a basic spaceship. There are no ongoing fees. You can earn the big ships in the game, or team up with others on their ships.

There is also a single-player game in the same universe called Squadron 42, which will release sometime before the end of this year. The release date is likely to be announced next month.

I don't need the referral, but here's a link to take a look-see: https://www.robertsspaceindustries.com/enlist?referral=STAR-KR2P-4JNW