Problems with backup games

[n3ck]

I keep seeing this on all the backup games i try out. For some reason my screen color, brightness or gamma, gets really dark. I can change the settings back on my desktop properties to the previous settings and it looks alright untill I try to go play another game, and then the settings are all dark again. I am running an ATI 8500 on windows XP. Has any one else seen or heard of this problem and know of a solution to correct it?