Maybe it’s the Pokemon Snap-like catching small animals game. It’s attempting to place markers, collect readings, samples in monster habitats without disturbing them. It’s running in terror when they wake up, improvising hiding spots like Amnesia?
Subnautica runs with this nonviolence in a modern survival template, but we can go back to Aquanaut’s Holiday, Endless Ocean (why are the nonviolent games so often underwater-themed?).
Personally, I feel less bad about killing animals in this game than I do killing humans (even evil ones) in any other game. I can feel my cute-response rising but that always seems illogical next to a human being.