I will certainly recommend this game, but first off I have to warn you that this game is probably very frustrating for any Newcomer to the Series. This is not because it is badly designed, bugged or anything, but rather because it's so utterly complex. This game basically simulates several economies for each race, sector and how you as the player influence it due to your actions. It takes a long time to actually be able to make a difference and that only if you have become familiar with the game. But if you can stick with it and hit your head often enough against the wall that is this games difficulty and make some spreadsheets and notes on the side, you will find the game to be extremely rewarding.

With that warning, you start the game generally with only one ship or two, depending on which start you pick. You basically only have a few Credits and then have to decide on how to spend them to make more money. So you start out with a few Milk runs here and there. Trade a little and slowly start generating Income. Usually you would just trade at first, so you can make some money to buy another ship and remote control to trade with it as well on the side to make more money.

You could also decide to pick up a mission here and there, but until you have gained some experience with the game it's hardly a thing I can recommend to just go and do. The fight missions will usually end with your ship getting destroyed easily, as everything around you is basically bigger and stronger than you are. Charging in head first will inevitably get you killed. Building a station is also something you can't do at first, as you lack the money to buy one and then set it up, not even talking about the ship you need for that. Freight missions can often become impossible for you as well, as your ship isn't fast enough, you haven't explored the Sectors around you yet or your Cargo bay is not designed for that freight. And if you transport people you need a Lifesupport System.

Basically what I'm saying is: The game will not tell you whether you can actually accomplish a mission or not. You have to figure that out for yourself.

Every action you take basically also affects your relationship to the other races surrounding you. So if you shoot down a lot of Argons for example they'll get pissed at you and shoot you down at some point whenever they see you. Antagonising factions, except the ones you can't get around due to circumstances is generally a bad idea as each Race has it's own specific stations you'll probably want to buy at some point and setup elsewhere to make a Profit off of it. You can build a better relationship simply by trading with the race or doing missions for them.

You can also interact with the Stock Exchange, basically buying Company shares or Resource Shares and sell them if you have figured that part out. Depending on your actions you can actually influence that Stock exchange yourself, as company shares actually drop if you shoot down their freighters. And the Supply / Demand for Resources shifts whenever you would destroy or build a station which provides that Resource to the area. Even the Traders you setup can make a difference there.

To summarise:
It's an incredibly well executed Sandbox that can be utterly absorbing if you're able to actually stick with it. Considering it's the most complex game I ever played and even dropped it once in the past, it is hard to not accept anyone who would simply just let this pass by. But in the end it's probably also the best Space Sim out there in which you actually pilot a ship.