I've had a couple good suggestions on how to improve player agency. I think giving the ability to weigh genetic traits and introducing some kind of biomass currency like in your game might help offer more control while reducing button-spamming (I think in your game the ability to weigh genes might work against the experimental feeling you get in the early stages though).
The levels are also procedurally generated, which isn't bad necessarily, but I think my levels just need more diversity and content, especially for worldbuilding purposes.
Thanks for giving it a try!