I probably won't be getting it right away (more due to lack of money/time than lack of faith) but I am pretty stoked about this. I think what will really make this game stand out is two things:

1 - The emphasis on exploration for the early game. I like how they've made the galaxy very mysterious and wondrous.
2 - The migration of character and POP dynamics from CK/EU/Vic to space empires. This will make the mid-late game of a space 4x so much more interesting.