New York Videogame Critics Circle announces first annual awards show

Look, we're gonna be upfront about this, we're a little biased -- okay, I'm a little biased -- toward any news involving the New York Game Critics Circle (I'm the standing member for Joystiq), but we're putting together an awards show and it's gonna be totally boss. On February 2, a gaggle of us are taking over New York University's Cantor Film Center and holding an awards show to honor the best games of 2011 -- what we consider to be 2011's best, anyway.

Founding member (and occasional NPR correspondent) Harold Goldberg is heading up the proceedings with some assistance from various NYGCC members, while an unannounced, well-known voice man is on tap to MC the event. The first annual awards show will take place on February 2 and we've dropped the entire list of nominees after the break. It'll also be open to the public with limited seating, which we'll have more info on in the coming weeks.

Wondering who voted for said nominees? That list is right here, but rest assured that everyone involved is totally your favorite.

Big Apple Award – Best Game

• Batman: Arkham City
• Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
• L.A. Noire
• Minecraft
• Portal 2
• Saints Row: The Third
• Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception
• The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword

Manhattan Award for Most New York-centric Game

• Batman: Arkham City
• Crysis 2
• Resistance 3
• Sideway NY

Herman Melville Award for Best Writing in a Game

• Bastion
• Batman: Arkham City
• L.A. Noire
• Portal 2
• Saints Row: The Third
• Serious Sam 3

Battery Park Award: Best Handheld Console Game

• Aliens: Infestation
• Professor Layton and the Last Specter
• Rayman 3D
• Super Mario 3D Land

Tin Pan Alley Award: Best Overall Music in a Game

• Bastion
• Catherine
• Dark Souls
• L.A. Noire
• Portal 2
• Saints Row: The Third
• The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword

The A Train Award Best Mobile/iOS Game

• Contre Jour
• FIFA 12
• Grand Theft Auto III
• Infinity Blade II
• Superbrothers: Sword & Sworcery EP
• Where's My Water?

Off Broadway Award for Best Indie Game

• Bastion
• Fruit Ninja
• Minecraft
• Realm of the Mad God
• Sideway NY
• Superbrothers: Sword & Sworcery EP
• The Binding of Isaac

Statue of Liberty Award for Best Open World Game

• Batman: Arkham City
• Dark Souls
• Deus Ex: Human Revolution
• L.A. Noire
• Saints Row: The Third

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

• Batman: Arkham City
• L.A. Noire
• Portal 2
• Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception

Mad Man Award – Best Commercial

• Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 (featuring Jonah Hill)
• Long Live Play – (Michael)
• The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3DS (featuring Robin Williams)

Algonquin Roundtable Award for Best Videogame Book

• All Your Base Are Belong to Us by Harold Goldberg
• Ready Player One by Ernest Cline
• Reality Is Broken by Jane McGonigal
• Reamde by Neal Stephenson
• Super Mario by Jeff Ryan