I'm not sure if I have had the same issue but I was locked on a loading screen for what seemed an eternity and then found this page. I tried popping the DVD in and out (thinking copy protection gremlin) but that did not seem to work. However just a few seconds after going back to presing random keys on the keyboard the number 8 key on the keypad seemed to release the issue.
CPU: Pentium Quad Core Q6600 GPU: Raedon 4870
Hope that helps folks and Larian with this nasty glitch.
