What's the best space exploration/trading/combat sim today?

X3 maybe if its more modern your looking for

The universe life sim type of game is currently more niche than it used to be

Wait for Star Citizen.

>>384891097

>Freelancer
Err no, X3 for sure.
Freelancer as a sandbox (so we're talking simulation instead of a linear storyline) has completely static pricing on goods and absolutely nothing to go for except repetitive, poorly paying missions.

X3 at least lets you conquer the galaxy via economics, and with some mods gets better for it with warfare too.
Just a shame the interface is so fucking bad and no amount of modding will fix that, to the point it's too tedious for me to continue playing.
If you could get into it though, I wouldn't recommend any collection of mods at first when you can get Litcube's Universe, which is a total conversion specialising in interstellar megacorp running alongside an invading, overwhelming alien threat (both optional modifiers to your campaign).