Does a game need stakes to make exploration feel meaningful, or does curiosity carry it on its own?

Something I keep wondering about with exploration-focused games is whether the absence of combat actually removes tension or just relocates it. Like, when there's no enemy to avoid or defeat, what's doing the work of making you feel like the next area matters? Is it the environment itself, the way secrets are hidden, something about the sound design, or just the pull of wanting to know what's around the corner? Because I feel like some games make exploration genuinely thrilling without any combat pressure, and others feel a little hollow once you realize nothing can go wrong. So what is it that separates those two experiences? Is it about how the world is built, or is it more about what the game is quietly asking you to notice?