I agree. One of the problems I hear sometimes as an Elite Dangerous player is that the game is a “mile wide” , yet an inch deep. The game relies a lot on text (from the galnet news to the station boards) to convey what is happening. While that keeps things manageable from a time and money angle, the problem is that in this day and age it’s better/expected to show and let the players experience it. It also doesn’t trust the players with a lot of agency beyond visiting places and shooting/trading things. I think the game relies a lot on its legacy rather than new bold moves that elevate to the same status as its forbear.

That said, there is nothing like E:D out there right now, and it’s still a great achievement.