Killzone 2 Grabs First Ivor Novelli Award For Video Games

Killzone 2

One of the reasons why we consider Killzone 2 to be the best FPS of the generation thus far is that it featured a nigh-on unparalleled atmosphere. And one of the reasons for that is the excellent, engaging music.

Obviously, we're not the only ones to come away impressed with the score in Guerrilla's masterpiece, as the game has snagged the very first Ivor Novelli Award for Best Original Video Game Score. If you're not familiar, the Ivors are handed out by a British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors, and the ceremony has been around since 1955. However, this is the first year that video games have played any role in the proceedings, so Killzone 2's award is the first to be officially awarded by the prestigious UK group. Regarding music in gaming, BASCA director Mark Fishlock said:

"Writing music for games also requires a number of specialist skills compared with conventional film scoring, such as non-linear and multi-layered composition. This is a very exciting development and one which hopefully will be fully embraced by the rapidly growing games world."

Voted on by 2000 members of the Academy and "not directly influenced by record labels, the music press, or the general public," winning an Ivor Novelli Award is clearly something to brag about. In this case, it's Killzone 2 composer Joris de Man who walks away with the prize; his competition consisted of Armin Elsaesser (Savage Moon: Waldgeist), and Richard Beddow, Richard Birdsall, Walter Mair, Lorenzo Piggici and Simon Ravn, who handled the composition for Empire: Total War. We should probably remember that this is a UK-based competition so that's why you're not seeing particularly huge titles in the mix (we're assuming).

But anyway, another award for KZ2, so congrats to de Man. It really was a fitting and even epic score.

Related Game(s): Killzone 2

5/21/2010 10:20:14 AM Ben Dutka

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