Australian company Flat Earth Games has announced Objects In Space, a stealth space trading game with a cerebral, "modempunk" twist.

Eschewing the dogfight-style mechanics of most other space games, Objects In Space is played in a world of computer readouts, physical switches, and other '70s retro-future accoutrements.

The Metrocide developer says that in creating space battles without even seeing opponents, they aim to evoke "the nerve-wracking and cerebral battles from Star Trek II and The Hunt For Red October," rather than the high-octane action of Star Wars.

As a largely text-based game, Objects In Space will feature a wide range of stories and narratives, covering everything from complex politics to tabloid journalism.

Objects In Space is tentatively set for a 2016 release, with the first playable alpha to appear at PAX Australia this year.