Gen V went places the series hadn't gone before, and the sequels doubled down. Aspertia City opens with this confident, forward-moving energy that signals a fresh start. The rival theme trades friendly competition for genuine tension.
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Virbank City is grungy and urban, raw guitar tones making it one of the most texturally distinct city themes in the franchise. The Pokestar Studios tracks are delightfully weird, cycling through genre pastiches from sci-fi horror to romance.
"Battle! (Rival)" layers synth and electric guitar into something genuinely intense. Team Plasma's return gets appropriately dramatic scoring. The DS sound chip is working overtime throughout. If you skipped Gen V, these compositions alone make a case for why that era deserves a second look.