I'm still new to the #Warhammer40k setting but it seems obvious that being "good" isn't really an option in that world, so Rogue Trader penalizing that path feels narratively consistent; a key feature rather than a design flaw. (I think Inquisitor Martyr handled it pretty well, too.)
I find #Shadowrun similarly challenging, though not quite as extreme, thanks to runners being mercenaries for hire. It's also what makes #SubversionRPG an interesting alternative.
@glecharles Yeah, the alignment of characters in Shadowrun is basically "complicated evil". :) They hate the corpos, but work for them, but get betrayed, but will still work for them, while trying to understand what the corpos really want to do, and then reselling the information to other corpos, while at the same time saving the day by preventing them to do what they want. One foot mercenary, one foot anarchist.
You still can play good guys in the lore, there is something for that : the hooders (from "robin hood"), mercenaries for good causes. There are even documented groups that may act as their patrons. But yeah, never did that, part of the cyberpunk genre for me is "good guys lost, time to deal with the consequences". It's survival but in high-tech world.
40k, I tried to get into the lore through a few videogames (haven't tried Rogue Trader), it was… too heavy for me. 😅 I just felt oppressed.
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