Looking into getting this game but...

Terraria has it's focus on fighting, Starbound has it's focus on exploring. I personally prefer starbound instead of terraria because terraria is too much focused on fighting and not really focused on building. You build up houses for the npcs and sometimes arenas for the bosses and the exploration-experience in terraria isn't so high as in starbound but terraria has a higher fighting-experience than starbound.

So if you like to fight terraria is the better choice. But if you want to explore and build massive structures starbound is the better choice.

Maybe it sounds a bit harsh but the starbound-experience is also a bit limited to the creativity of the player. So little creativity means little experience...

 

I dunno - right now I feel there really isn't anything to explore in SB.
At least in Terreria when I go into a dungeon - I am always rummaging a chest for loot. Hoping to get that awesome fire staff.
Or going down a pyramid looking for a magic carpet.

But here.... nada.
I don't think exploring has any point in SB currently.
I think its only strong point is - at best experimenting and modding.

 

It isn't the question of chests - just that there really is nothing interesting in chests to bother opening them up for.