If you've played Zafehouse: Diaries, you might notice some similarities. But Deadnaut is a very different game in many ways.
As in Zafehouse: Diaries, your team starts the game with varying positive and negative relationships. In Deadnaut, these relationships are fixed. However, they can vary temporarily.
The crew roster contains all custom made Deadnauts. Unlike ZD, you have more control over character generation, and you can also influence - though not guarantee - the team's starting relationships.
Every game consists of four missions. Your Deadnauts, items and knowledge will persist throughout the campaign.
If your crew is completely wiped out, the game is over and you cannot reload the game. However, so long as you have at least one crew member alive, you'll be able to clone any dead crew members - at a cost.
In ZD, the diary contained hints and clues about what was going on around you. In Deadnaut, you have access to far more information. Primarily, you can see where your crew is, who they're attacking, which weapons are being used, and so on.
However, there are many elements in the game that you can't see through your limited ship scanner. Fortunately, your Deadnauts are talkative and they'll let you know if something interesting is happening.