Sigh...
I just wish I knew more people who like and grew up with these 6.5/10 type games. I personally like these designs a lot, but somehow they never seemed 'weird' enough to me, considering what they do and what they're supposed to be. Why does every mutant in that game look like a buff dood, even the single (supposedly) female-only species!?
This one's a concept sketch of Shellephant I tried out, having this idea in my head for a while now.
My personal headcanon with making it ([again,] supposedly) more crab-like, is the idea that Shellephant are actually pretty serene titans in their natural habitat, that being bodies of water such as waterfalls and fresh water beaches. The best visual reference I can think of is this:
In order to actually use them for battle or generally piss them off, you have to take away to the driest possible places... such as the game's lumber yard!
I actually sketched them bathing and breathing bright fire bubbles, just enjoying their time alive as a freak o' nature.
They have crab eyes too! They retract when dry and angry.