>>57131495Gen 1 music is solid. Not my favorite, but it works for what it is. Dungeons had strong and oppressive atmospheres, which is something the rest of the franchise could really use. The rest doesn’t really stand out to me.
Gen 2 music is basically perfect. Best trainer battle theme in the entire series, and many of the locations are very appealing. It definitely sounds like an adventure. Battle tracks straddle the line between energetic and dangerous.
Gen 3 isn’t as strong as 2’s in battle themes, but has some of the best overworld tracks in the series. Hoenn’s music is so dreamlike, and conveys a strong sense of mystery and discovery.
Gen 4 is basically entirely carried by HGSS. Sinnoh’s music is bland, dull, and droning nonsense, while the Johto remixes actually capture the energy Pokemon should convey. Ho-oh’s and Lugia’s themes are 10/10.
Gen 5 is about on par with Hoenn for me. Very strong overworld themes, but the battle themes really don’t reach the same highs as Johto’s. Many of them have the energy, but they’re too peppy. I like Colress’s at least.
Gen 6 is just OK. Genuinely very good route themes and some of the blandest battle themes outside of the XY E4 for instance. ORAS’s music butchered Hoenn though.
Gen 7’s USUM trainer theme is the second best behind Johto’s. I think it stands out mostly in terms of its battle themes, while the area themes are kinda bland and lacking.
Gen 8 I honest to god cannot remember a single track from for the life of me.
Gen 9’s music is one of the better soundtracks, and carries the experience considering everything looks like a tech demo. Both the overworld and battle themes are good, and how they adapt to what part of the region you’re traveling in.
