Killzone what? LittleBigPlanet rules the AIAS awards

by Stevie Smith - Feb 25 2009, 17:00

PlayStation 3 exclusive Killzone 2 is currently hogging all the media and consumer limelight as its eagerly anticipated February 27 retail release in the U.S. looms large, but, while Sony’s home console prepares to embrace its first system-selling killer app, another of its platform exclusives is cleaning up on the awards front.

More pointedly, Media Molecule’s critically acclaimed LittleBigPlanet has this week scooped no less than eight peer-based gongs and destroyed the challenge of other big-name software releases at the videogame industry’s 12th annual Interactive Achievement Awards in Las Vegas.

The glitzy Red Rock Resort ceremony, which was hosted by comedian and long-time gamer Jay Mohr, saw LittleBigPlanet’s acclaimed blend of platform action and level creation secure coveted awards such as Overall Game of the Year and Console Game of the Year.

Other awards picked up by the game include Outstanding Achievement in Game Direction, Family Game of the Year, Outstanding Achievement in Art Direction, Outstanding Achievement in Visual Engineering, Outstanding Innovation in Gaming, and even Outstanding Character Performance for the game’s ever-charming ‘Sackboy’.

“The Interactive Achievement Award is the forum for the industry’s leading game makers to honor the best in technical innovation and game play experience,” enthused Joseph Olin, president of the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences (AIAS).

“This year’s winners represent the range of interactive entertainment experiences and truly exemplify why video games enjoy so much popularity among adults and children,” he added. “It’s no wonder that IFC TV, one of the best-known outlets for creative entertainment, is excited to bring the Interactive Achievement Awards to their audience this spring.”

While LittleBigPlanet dominated the evening’s proceedings, other winners included Xbox Live title Braid, which emerged as Casual Game of the Year, while Nintendo’s Super Smash Bros. Brawl took Fighting Game of the Year, and Sony’s God of War: Chains of Olympus was awarded Handheld Game of the Year.

The ceremony’s other awards were as follows:

* Computer Game of the Year: Left 4 Dead

* Massively Multiplayer Game of the Year: World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King

* Cellular Game of the Year: Spore Origins

* Role-Playing Game of the Year: Fallout 3

* Racing Game of the Year: Burnout Paradise

* Adventure Game of the Year: Mirror’s Edge

* Sports Game of the Year: NHL 09

* Strategy/Simulation Game of the Year: Command and Conquer 3: Red Alert

* Action Game of the Year: Dead Space

* Outstanding Achievement in Game Design: World of Goo

* Outstanding Achievement in Animation: Prince of Persia

* Outstanding Achievement in Story (Adapted): Star Wars: The Force Unleashed

* Outstanding Achievement in Story (Original): Fallout 3

* Outstanding Achievement in Online Game Play: Left 4 Dead

* Outstanding Achievement in Soundtrack: Rock Band 2

* Outstanding Achievement in Sound Design: Dead Space

* Outstanding Achievement in Original Music Composition: Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots

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