Halo Reach Grabs a Midnight Release at Best Buy

Action gamers got their first person fix on Monday night and early Tuesday morning with a midnight release party for Halo Reach, Microsoft's newest entry into their phenomenally successful FPS series.

Local four player mode in action!

Best Buy's doors opened at 10 p.m. on Monday and gamers were given a chance to tear into Halo Reach before they could pick up their preoders at midnight. It was classic Red vs. Blue matches as teams of four went head-to-head, reaching for prizes like a free copy of the game, strategy guides and Xbox Live point cards.

Additionally, gamers who graced the grizzly party with their pugilistic presence received a Halo Reach winter hat (pictured below) and a blow-up replica of the double-pronged sword that's featured prominantly in the game.

You had to be wearing a hat to be on this team.

An Xbox 360 exclusive, Halo Reach features tight controls, vibrant future noir graphics and fast paced, first person gameplay akin to its predecessors. The death match mode serves up two to four player mayhem that might remind oldschool gamers of N64's Goldeneye. Though the players weren't exposed to it during the late night extravaganza, Halo Reach's single player campaign promises "a tragic and heroic story" that focuses on the Noble Team of soldiers sent to protect the innocent population of planet Reach.

"I like it a a lot," said Sebastian, a longtime Halo fan and Best Buy employee who had sampled the game for a few moments. "I'm not too sure about the maps yet [but] I like the interface."

Don't worry; they're just sleeping.

College student Joshua Crespo, a self-proclaimed Halo fanatic, was more enthusiastic.

"I think this game's awesome!" he said. "I played it... and it was sweet! I shot someone in the face; I took out a sword and sliced him; awesome."

The game room was packed.

Halo Reach Xbox 360 bundles were stacked high for gamers who red-ringed their machines playing Halo 3; and the "Legendary Edition" of the game, which includes both the Halo Reach Limited Edition and a plastic statue of the game's main characters, were on hand for for the Halo hardcore.

Gamers who missed out on the midnight release can watch some of the action on YouTube right here (focus on a single player) and right here (four player mode).

This third video showcases a cool "flying frag."

And a final video shows off a little more of that four player action.

Heard these guys were trying to get in "reach" with you! Ha ha... I'm so sorry.

More pictures available HERE.