Did not have the same problem with beta 1, but am getting it now. The game always crashes to desktop when I hit "New Game." or "Option."

Windows XP.

Same deal.  Windows XP.  Options or New Game.  THink it has to do with full screen, again, but can't change to windowed mode now before game crashes. 

You, sir, are a gentleman and a scholar, a shining paragon of mankind.

In other words, I was getting the same problem (running XP) until modifying the shortcut to start in windowed mode.

Edit: and I broke it again! Don't try to increase the resolution, or when you restart the game it'll launch but be stuck "minimized," sound plays but will not display, must exit via task manager.

I am experiencing the same problem, will try the /w trick when I get home...I assume you can give arguments to start menu shortcuts? (no desktop icon)

Windows XP pro SP3

I had assumed that it was the computer as it is in the process of slowly and painfully dying. 

Works fine on the laptop with Vista.