I started out in a similar spot. I this FTL has an awkward issue with getting stuck in a loop where you die too fast to learn to not die. (Dwarf Fortress, NetHa

I started out in a similar spot. I this FTL has an awkward issue with getting stuck in a loop where you die too fast to learn to not die. (Dwarf Fortress, NetHack, and others seem to have the same issue, while other roguelikes like Dredmor don't.) As you hit stage 4+ repeatedly, you start to get a much better feel for the game. Start on Easy if you haven't, it helps a lot with breaking that loop. It doesn't undermine the gameplay at all like it does in some games, it just helps stretch your money and fuel further. It'll even help you unlock new ships that might suit your playstyle better for harder difficulties. And yes - the variety and replayability are strongly tied to unlocking multiple ships and progressing far enough to try out a variety of different builds. Stage one just doesn't vary that much if it's all you're seeing.