14 DAY TRIAL // As you slog down through the circles of Hell, swinging from ropes, which sometimes burn, using the Death Scythe like a kind of grappling hook, taking out infernal beasts, you will be meeting tormented souls that, though they do not look like it, are actually well known historical figures, permanent inhabitants of Hell because of their sins.
Their sins are linked with the theme of the Circle level you are traveling, and after meeting them, the player gets a short description of their acts, their name and the option to absolve them using the Beatrice gifted cross or to destroy them using the weapon obtained from Death. Depending on the choice, points are obtained, enhancing the various abilities of the player character.
The encounters include people like: Pontius Pilate, the man who judged Christ; Orpheus, another traveler to Hell; Electra, the great avenger of Greek drama; Francesca da Polenta and Paolo Malatesta, adulterers; Semiramis and Atilla, also known as the Scourge of God. It's cool seeing them in Hell and interacting with them but developers Visceral could have made so much more out of the Damnation or Absolution choice for these historical figures.
Instead of the dry description for them, it would have been nice to see animated vignettes, like those that detail Dante's own story, showing their actions, both virtuous and sinful, to form a general image of whether the character was better or worse during their lifetime.
Each of them could also have a personal preference towards destruction or salvation, with compliance following if the player chooses the action that the character prefers and with a mini boss-like battle coming if the contrary option is chosen. The entire cast of characters should have then appeared somewhere towards the end of the game, showing the player how their choices affected them.
As it is implemented now, the choice between good and bad is just one linked with character progression and skill development, which is quite the wasted opportunity in a game that could have benefited from some variation and intimacy.