Recs.
Updated
Star sector is the best bang for buck game so far. A real time economy where choices actually matter. You can be a space pirate, trader or a mercenary. Anything is possible.
Read StarSector - A sci-fi open-world game reviewed by Cola Powered Gamer.
SpecsUpdate
Pros
Pro Real-time Economic Markets systems
Everything heavily relies on good, trade and supply chains to create great markets and running the colony. Your action and playstyle can have a great on the system, you can make your own colony becoming no.1 most shares percentage on any goods legal and illegal on global markets or the best part, you can destroy the global market and cause every faction to becoming your enemy cause of your action.
Pro Many Play Style
You can either play trader who trade legal/illegal goods to colony to improve or destroy shock markets systems or be a pirate who ambush trader convoy, steal their goods, ruin factions trade route and destroy economy or be a bounty hunter who hurt down pirate/wanted fleet for juicy money and reputation or start your own colony, building up your faction, stabilizing your colony, create new (black)markets place for trader and more. An endless playstyle at your choice
Cons
Con 9 years, still in alpha
Due its being develop by 4 people, this game released in 2010 and receive big update yearly and according to developers, it is still in alpha, don't get me wrong, it's already huge but the fact that's still alpha, might be turn off for some people but you can recommending your grandchildren to buy full official release.