Saw this comment from the creator, made me think a little bit of EP:
It is a space trading / combat game, but the focus is on relationships. There is something of an informal reputation economy to it. You don't build up @-rep or anything, but your reputation with a person or group makes them more willing to do favors for you, Certain people in the future have a slightly warped view of humanity that could possibly be described as a thirst for trandesence, or perhaps as secular Gnosticism.