Comprising of two unique yet hilarious adventure games, the Monkey Island series has developed an almost cult following. The only problem was that the last Monkey Island game came out in 1992 -- before high-resolution graphics or speech had ever been used. Much to their fans' dismay, LucasArts had for years refused to bring out another, technically update Monkey Island.

That's all about to change with the upcoming release of The Curse of Monkey Island. Secretly in development since the beginning of 1996, this third installment presents a large step forward for LA's own SCUMM interface. Sporting high-resolution graphics, full-screen animation and continuous digital sound and music, LA's next game looks to be a winner in both technical and creative ends.

LucasArts just unveiled it's playable demo of Curse, and CEO was one of the first to see it. First impressions are incredible: crisp, detailed graphics, smooth animation and CD-quality sound provide one of the richest gaming environments ever. If LucasArts can combine both today's high-end technology with the story, dialogue, and humor that made Monkey Island so popular in the first place, they'll have truly created a masterpiece.

Specially for those of you who don't have the playable demo or want a good reason to download it, CEO has created this collection of screen shots. Click on each one for a high-resolution image. NOTE: While these shots were captured by CEO, they remain the property of LucasArts and may not be used without permission. (DT)

Looking for more information on the Monkey Island series? Visit the Monkey Island SCUMM Bar for more monkeys than you can shake a banana at!