Stretch Panic seems to have all of the right pieces; a dark but humorous fantasy world, a cute and feisty young heroine, a demonically possessed scarf (yes, a scarf - as in the piece of cloth you wrap around your neck when it's cold), and a long line of huge, over-the-top, bosses. Yet, Stretch Panic is missing something and, in the end, the whole experience feels hollow.

It isn't the controls; they are simple and elegant. It isn't the camera angles; they are wonky but functional. It isn't the graphics; they are wholly unique and boast visual quality that could be a benchmark for what other PlayStation 2 games should look like. What's missing are the levels; Stretch Panic is completely void of anything resembling a level, and, in the end, is nothing more than a long, and limited stream of boss battles, which lose their climactic impact because there is no action providing context. Stretch Panic is inspirationally original, but the lack of any interesting levels make "immersiveness" too long stretch for most gamers to accept. Rent this one so you can say you have played it, but save your coin for something more expansive.