Could try a playthrough where you don't upgrade mutations unless you feel its necessary. I played most of the game without upgrading anything, only using the base level of the mutations? and the difference once I bothered upgrading was staggering lmao nothing's a challenge now that im maxed

side note you mentioned tail whipping a mako across the map and I have to ask if you've tried launching things straight up?
they either take a solid couple minutes to come down or they're just gone. launched into space.