Veteran shooter developer DICE revealed its newest gameplay footage for the eagerly-awaited Battlefield 3 at the GDC earlier today, revealing a portion of the game’s single-player campaign set in what appears a conflict in the Middle East of 2014. Readily apparent in the gameplay trailer is the wonders of DICE’s lauded Frostbite 2.0 engine, claimed by the developer’s executive producer Patrick Bach as “the best piece of technology on the market.” Even in its current pre-alpha state, Battlefield 3 possesses some of the smoothest animation and most impressive lighting that we’ve ever seen. Head past the jump for the full video.

Set for release alongside the heavy-hitters of the fall release schedule like rival franchise Call of Duty, Battlefield 3 embodies DICE’s efforts to unseat the record-breaking success in the shooter market that has belonged to Activision for so long. With another gameplay trailer due for release on March 16, stay tuned for more Battlefield 3 coverage.