Most point-and-cilck adventure and puzzle games never center around death, though some may have violent themes (e.g. Sam & Max).
Stuff like Pac-man Adventures (SNES) has you almost literally poking and prodding Pac to move and do things. Puzzle games like Pieces (SNES) or board games like Carcasonne (also on Android/iOS) or Snakes (tons of variants) are completely devoid of violence and are instead focused on logic and reflexes.
On GOG.com, adventure games like King's Quest will have to occasional scenes of violence (animals getting hurt, monsters dying, and more often than not, YOU dying).
The MONKEY ISLAND games have small smatterings of violence (insult sword-fighting, slapstick comedy), and one major death (the main villain; repeatedly).
BACK to the FUTURE features mostly puzzles and races.
MYST and LIFELESS PLANET are about pure exploration.
LONG LIVE THE QUEEN, I think is low on violence -- (were there "dungeon sequences" where you had to go slay something?) -- but it's mostly a construction-type game where you are training the Queen-to-be. (Or in the case of OCTODAD, wanna-be-human.)
Similar games are Redshirt and Leisure Suit Larry, while both are non-confrontational, both are also filled with sexual situations.
Ditto with simulation games like CAPITALISM; technically no fighting, but mostly numbers-crunching and socio-/political stuff. Ditto with the fantasy equivalent: KING of DRAGON PASS. Less so is SimCity 2000 where you can actually see your city grow instead of reading reports.
How about the KYRANDIA games? Mostly about a student in the mystic arts, right?
Hard to think of an action game that isn't a sport (driving, soccer, etc.) kind of game.
For the PS2, even though it's about fighting, try looking at PENGEL: QUEST FOR COLOR. You literally draw shapes that charge and thrash about.
Or Rhythm Games like GITAROO MAN and SPACE CHANNEL 5. (Back in the day we would use controllers to dance instead of moving in front of a camera.)
Post edited June 18, 2014 by pakopakojr