Thanks so much for the detailed follow-up!
By the way, there's a hidden mechanic that lets you switch your game to standard mode by clicking on the cow 10 times in a row. It only works one way though. You can switch from hard mode back to standard mode, but not the other way around, since that would cause some balancing issues.
Also, if possible try running Serenitrove directly in your browser instead of through the Itch.io app. The app doesn't package Serenitrove's files correctly, which can cause visual glitches and other weird behavior. Firefox browser works best, so give that a try and see if the experience feels better.
Hope that helps!