Fear2 fyi
 

with crack it goes back to main menu when trying to start "Replica" interval. without the crack it works fine. this is the retail version btw

I didnt need the crack though, I could activate on steam and play away, unless US version has extra protection like a cd-check?

Ive almost finished the game on normal, and passed replica, so no idea :(

Steam activation can be a pain in some regions. But it's still better than the EA's DRM. Why the hell they don't offer phone or e-mail activation for people who have a restricted access to internet. Only in US are still quite a few people using cable modems that don't have the bandwidth for all the DRM throws at us. Add here some parts in Europe that still don't have the right infrastructure. At least Two Worlds and Football Manager 09 offered phone activation....
The only people suffering are the people who actually pay for the game:(
There are a few games that I would buy, but I'd rather wait the budget editions, with the hope they will remove the protection.
Off-topic: anyone knows, if there will be a Warhammer 40k: DOW2 - retail edition? So far, the game seems to be pdistributed only through Steam....

With FM09 do you not have to pick which type of activation you want when installing? From what ive heard, you can either pick steam or some other method which has an online or phone activation.

so they haven't realesed yet a fully working crack for the game? oh well the game was just out a few days ago, we have to wait. =)

Thing is, if the american is steam activation only then no crack will appear. Like the european is Steam only also.

when i tried to register my cd key with steam it says cannot be activated.

FM09 will use the phone activation if it doesn't detect an internet connection when you start the install procedures. Otherwise it will use the online activation.