A fantastic game and apart from a lack post-story content, the high point of the series.
Sound: 9.6/10
Gameplay: 10/10
Longevity: 8.8/10
Overall: 9.45/10
I first got Ruby in May 2004, after spending 4 months paying it off myself, being the fan of the original games that I was, I was extremely excited at the game that awaited me. I turned it on and never looked back.
The overworld in Ruby is, whilst simplistic, close to perfect. Hoenn is a bright and colourful region and is showcased fantastically throughout the game. The pokemon's sprites themselves are simple too, but they're all fantastic, the only thing that could've made the sprites more impressive is if they were animated (which happened in Emerald anyway).
The music in the game is the best that has ever been in the pokemon games. There are many memorable tracks and fantastic battle music too.
The gameplay is standard Pokemon fare, in other words, RPG perfection. It plays incredibly well and it is surprising how it feels fresh every time.
However, the games weak point is it's longevity. Sure, there is plenty to do during the 50-hour story, but afterwards, there is next to nothing, which is a sad anti-climax.
To sum it up, apart from the post-game lack of content, Pokemon Ruby is possibly the best main series game yet.