Word is an old program. MS keeps adding on bells and whistles to attract corporate buyers. They try to make the interface very easy for beginners, hiding the complexity. This is trying for experienced users because they keep moving the buttons.
The "New Experience" which should be what you are seeing is a case in point.
New Experience - Microsoft Office - Office 365 - Turning it on and off
So is the "Editor."

I do not know of anything better. You could certainly try LibreOffice (free) or Word Perfect (not free but free trial available).