So, after playing Civilization: Beyond Earth since it launched I stumbled upon this review for a game called Endless Legend.
Its pretty much what I think Civilization: BE should have been. Its got a much steeper learning curve (as the tutorial doesn't quite cover everything you need to know). The Minor Factions are way better than the outposts of CIV: BE. Diplomacy is a bit more advanced. And the addition of Hero Units is a pretty great dynamic to add.
Its an indie game, but the art doesn't suffer. Its different enough from CiV that it takes awhile to learn how to play (especially with the inadequate tutorial, although it does cover the basics). I'd suggest turning on ALL notifications until you get the hang of it. You should also choose a few sciences to learn on your first turn or you'll go a few turns without learning anything like I did on my first attempt.
Also, the playable races are all really different, which is something I felt CiV: BE lacked.
So ya, if you're on the fence about CiV: BE, get Endless Legend.