Returnal
Returnal is praised for its twitchy bullet hell action and uncompromising high-concept roguelike structure, but it’s space horror mood is also an important part of the overall 2021 GOTY package. It revolves around a crashed pilot trapped in a time loop on an alien planet and the deeper mystery and dark secrets she uncovers along the way. It’s not constructed as a horror game per se, but the fear of losing everything when you die as you navigate grim ruins and deadly monsters is as effective as any jump scare.
