Dante pursues Beatrice's soul to a church, where she lies on an altar next to a strange crucifix-shaped glow. When she disappears yet again, Dante bathes his Holy Cross (a token of Beatrice's love and fidelity) in the cross-shaped light. This gives Dante his second weapon. Whereas the scythe allows Dante to maim and destroy, the cross is a ranged weapon that purifies everything with holy fire.
Once you obtain the Holy Cross, the game's morality system surfaces. Grabbing any enemy with the scythe will give Dante complete control over that enemy's fate. If you press the button that corresponds to the scythe, Dante will punish the creature... by brutally executing it. Pressing the button that corresponds to the cross will begin a brief mini-game in which Dante absolves the sins of his enemy. Absolving an enemy takes a bit of time and demands a bit more from you, but you will earn more souls (the game's currency) and veer toward the path of holiness. At this point, the morality system poses some fascinating questions. Given the setting of the game, some very interesting scenarios could come up at any time during Dante's trek through the Nine Circles. Additionally, if the upgrade menu is any indication, it appears that Dante's moral alignment will govern the types of skills he can unlock as he collects more souls.
After a second tapestry cutscene, the church falls to pieces and the mouth of Hell is revealed. As Dante climbs his way down to the Gates of Hell, a spirit arrives and announces that Beatrice has sent him to aid Dante in his quest. If you've read The Divine Comedy, you've probably already guessed that this is this spirit of Virgil. Dante receives his first magic ability right then and there, in the form of a dash attack.
The demo ends with a bang, as a minotaur crashes through the wall and assaults Dante as yet another legion of the damned rises from the ground. If you've played the God of War III E3 2009 demo yet, this next part might feel a bit too similar. Once you've knocked the minotaur down, you engage in a quick-time event that results in Dante gaining control of the beast. After smashing, stomping, eating, and roasting a number of enemies, an icon appears above the Gates of Hell. As Dante forces the minotaur to pry the gates open, everything fades to black...