Developers Overhype have now shared a few details of how it all works.
Mmmmm, such malty, yeasty strategicalness.
Honestly, it allsoundspretty straightforward next to the difficulties of avoiding injury on the surface.

There’s a reputation management element - leave a faction request hanging and they might sour on you.
Faction distress calls aside, the starmap is where you’ll spend the game’s main resources.
Your crew are described as “motley”, which here means “a massive liability”.

As for ship upgrades, these have both active and passive benefits during missions.
Menace definitely feels like a game where reconnaissance trumps firepower.
Everybody is their own special snowflake.

At least till they get stepped on by the mechs.
And that’s it for the strategy stuff.
Still, that’s the thing about bread, isn’t it?
If it’s too exciting, the filling loses its potency.
Captain to the messhall, kindly!
Menace is out later next year.