After some serious discussion, our esteemed critics have named the following games as official New York Videogame Critics Circle Awards Nominees. The Awards will take place on February 11, 2014 at NYU/Poly’s Pfizer Auditorium in Brooklyn. Stay tuned for how you can get free tickets.

And a hearty congratulations to all of our worthy nominees!

Big Apple Award for Best Game 

Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag (Ubisoft)

BioShock Infinite (2K Games)

Gone Home (The Fullbright Company)

Grand Theft Auto V (Rockstar Games)

Kentucky Route Zero (Cardboard Computer)

Ni No Kuni (Namco Bandai)

Super Mario 3D World (Nintendo)

The Last of Us (Sony)

The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds (Nintendo)

Tomb Raider (Square Enix)

Herman Melville Award for Best Writing in a Game

Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag (Ubisoft)

BioShock Infinite (2K Games)

Device 6 (Simogo)

Gone Home (The Fullbright Company)

Grand Theft Auto V (Rockstar Games)

Kentucky Route Zero (Cardboard Computer)

The Last of Us (Sony)

The Stanley Parable (Davey Wreden and William Pugh)

Battery Park Award for Best Handheld Console Game 

Animal Crossing: New Leaf  (Nintendo 3DS)

Etrian Odyssey Untold: The Millenium Girl (Nintendo 3DS)

Fire Emblem: Awakening (Nintendo 3DS)

Guacamelee! (PlayStation Vita)

Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney – Dual Destinies (Nintendo 3DS)

Pokemon X/Y  (Nintendo 3DS)

Spelunky (PlayStation Vita)

Tearaway  (PlayStation Vita)

The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds (Nintendo 3DS)

Tin Pan Alley Award for Best Music in a Game 

Animal Crossing: New Leaf (Nintendo)

BitTrip Runner 2 (Gaijin)

BioShock Infinite (2K Games)

Contrast (Sony)

Grand Theft Auto V (2K Games)

Rocksmith 2014 (Ubisoft)

Ridiculous Fishing (Vlambeer)

Saints Row IV (Deep Silver)

The Last of Us (Sony)

The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds (Nintendo)

The A Train Award for Best Mobile/iOS Game

Device 6 (Simogo)

Icycle: On Thin Ice (Damp Gnat)

Plants vs. Zombies 2 (PopCap)

Rayman Fiesta Run (Ubisoft)

Ridiculous Fishing (Vlambeer)

Rymdkapsel (Grapefrukt)

Type:Rider (Cosmografik)

Year Walk (Simogo)

Off Broadway Award for Best Indie Game 

Antichamber (Alexander Bruce)

Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons (Starbreeze/505 Games)

Gone Home (The Fullbright Company)

Killer Queen Arcade (SortaSoft)

Porpentine’s Twine Compilation (Porpentine)

Papers, Please (Lucas Pope)

Rogue Legacy (Cellar Door)

The Stanley Parable (Davey Wreden and William Pugh)

Towerfall (Matt Thorson)

Statue of Liberty Award for Best World 

Los Santos: Grand Theft Auto V (Rockstar Games)

Columbia: BioShock Infinite (2K Games)

The Caribbean: Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag (Ubisoft)

Your Town: Animal Crossing: New Leaf (Nintendo)

The Greenbriar Home: Gone Home (The Fullbright Company)

Salt Lake City: Last of Us (Sony)

The White House: Saints Row IV (Deep Silver)

Great White Way Award for Best Overall Acting (Combines Male and 
Female Acting) 

Courtney Draper – Elizabeth – Bioshock Infinite (2K Games)

Ellen Page – Beyond: Two Souls (Sony)

Jay Klaitz – Lester – Grand Theft Auto V (Rockstar Games)

Kevan Brighting – Narrator – The Stanley Parable (Davey Wreden and William Pugh)

Sarah Grayson -Sam – Gone Home (The Fullbright Company).

Stefan Rhodri – Drippy – Ni No Kuni  (Namco Bandai)

Steven Ogg – Trevor – Grand Theft Auto V (Rockstar Games)

Troy Baker – Joel – Last of Us (Sony)

The Central Park Children’s Zoo Awards for Best Kids Game 

Animal Crossing: New Leaf (Nintendo)

Disney Infinity (Disney Interactive)

LegoCity Undercover (Traveler’s Tales, WBIE)

Lego Marvel Super Heroes (Traveler’s Tales, WBIE)

Skylanders: Swap Force (Activision)

Super Mario 3D World (Nintendo)

Tearaway (Sony)