Blood Gulch and Big Team Battle live again with Halo 5's first major content patch

Halo 5's first major update, dubbed "Battle of Shadow and Light" (presumably because "People Pretend-Shooting Each Other" didn't have that "epic" feel) is now live. It's a sizeable one too, containing seven armor sets with seven corresponding helmets, seven emblems, three weapon skins, two vehicle paintjobs, and one new visor with which to customize your Spartan.

Personally, I'm more excited for the four new maps and the return of Big Team Battle - an 8v8 multiplayer mode with three variants including Slayer and Capture The Flag. BTB has existed since Halo 2, and it was where I spent most of my online fragging time in Halo 3, so it holds a dear place in my supersoldier augmented heart. Another piece of Halo nostalgia that's been brought back by today's update: Blood Gulch.

It's called Basin now, and it's been tweaked ever so slightly just like it has every other time it's made an appearance, but there's no mistaking this classic map. Think I'll grab some donuts and sit my caboose down to play some tonight.

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Sam Prell

Sam is a former News Editor here at GamesRadar. His expert words have appeared on many of the web's well-known gaming sites, including Joystiq, Penny Arcade, Destructoid, and G4 Media, among others. Sam has a serious soft spot for MOBAs, MMOs, and emo music. Forever a farm boy, forever a '90s kid.