The game just needs a solo tutorial that walks new players through the mechanics of combat and objectives.
Personally, I am really enjoying the game but early on I realized it was my lack of understanding that was the problem, not the game. So I went online and figured things out and then explained it to my friends. Most players will simply blame the game and be done with it though.
The game does have a mentor system but it does little to help since voice chat is off by default.
Overall I really want Spacelords to succeed since it is fun, challenging, and unique, but I fear that the learning curve is too steep for most players and the lack of instructions is hurting a lot since players are quitting before they realize the depth that the game has.