When I open either game I get a series of black screens, the intro video and then the menu screen.

Except the menu screen is squished into the top left corner of my screen, the size of a large coin, and is just as oddly coloured rectangle.

The sound plays fine, just the video is wrong.

Got a GTX 970 if that helps, windows 7, I have tried running it as administrator and compatiblity modes etc

Anyone had this issue? Got a solution?

I have exact same issues with all Cultures (1-2, Northland and 8th Wonder..)
Already tried various fixes including: running as administrator and in compatibility modes, lowering colors and resolution..deleted the winmm.ddl file...and some other gog troubleshooting tricks but all in vain. No luck :(

When I launch the game it keeps running the cutscene audio but screen is black (except in Northland where also the video can be seen)..Audio is slightly laggy and my screen keeps flashing the HDMI logo almost like my HDMI cable is loose (it's not)..
I fast forward the annoying buggy openings with mouse clicks and what I think is supposed to be starting menu is then squished in top left corner in weird colors....

Feeling hopeless atm*

Windows 7 - 64 bit and GTX 760

I tried reinstalling, everything I can think of.

Maybe upgrading to windows 10 might help :P

It is odd since I have played it on this PC before but recently when I tried to play it didnt work. Kind of sad, its a good game that I come back to every other year or so since its release.

I gave up with Cultures for awhile and completely foget it until very recently when I updated my rig a little (also took windows 10) and as it happens all Cultures games launch like a dream now and plays perfectly in every way.
So giving up and updating to that devilish windows 10 might be the solution for you too.

yep upgrading to windows 10 seemed to work for me.

Glad to hear! :)