Perhaps this will help - (If you're running it on Windows 7) Make sure the game is not running,
go into your C:\ drive, >
Program Files >
search for the Viva Media folder, open it >
click on Alter Ego folder, >
go to the game's Config file (hover mouse over it, and it'll let you know if it's the config file or not) >
Open the Config file in notepad >
Look at the game's Antialiasing and Shader settings >
Change both the Antialiasing and Shader settings to 0 >
Save the file > run the game. The characters should appear onscreen.