A lot of games have the player functionally take the shape of a god. Whether it's something like Rimworld where pawns do expressly what you tell them to do, or games like Age of Wonders 4 where players can make their own custom realm with its own unique natural elements. Controlling nature, from the weather to the evolution of whole species, is an aspect of games that transcends genre, with many games letting players shape the composition of their world.