Vista - STALKER Shadow of Chernobyl Won't Run

System specs:
Vista Ultimate x64
4GB Corsair 800mhz DDR2 RAM
Nvidia 8800GT (Latest Drivers with PhysX)

Tried running the game at multiple resolutions and settings. No good, heres exactly what happens.

As soon as I start a new game the load screen goes to Synchronizing and then a blackscreen. Nothing happens. Then when I try hitting escape the Synchronizing load message comes up and then the introduction movie starts to play while the main menu is loaded in the background. So I can hear the menu music and I can see the mouse, when I hit escape again the Main Menu pops up. When I try returning to game I get the blackscreen again. And if I hit escape again it directly goes to the main menu. What could be wrong?

Have you tried running with windows xp compatability.

Also do you have the lastest directx update, all of the game updates.

Sounds like a graphics card driver issue or as mansrm81 states, a direct x issue. I had this with GRAW when everything would suddenly black out like the engine couldn't render the textures.

First off install all the patches, I think there are five now and they have to be installed one after another in the correct order....a bit of a pain...

See if that works....if not.

Reset the advanced driver setting and check if there are custom settings for the game in the Nvidia 3d advanced section - that may help. Also, put the game at it lowest dynamic light settings as it's notoriously buggy when full dynamic lighting is enabled ( I believe this has been fixed by the latest patch(s) )...

Hope these help.