Infernals was so vile that I almost quit a game I was playing when I read it. It was so vile that I don't see any point in dwelling on it in any detail, other than to discard it.
That's usually how people react to Infernals 1&2 and why they are universally discarded and ignored in favor of the rest of the book, which is considerably better(aside from the Artifacts, but that's bad mechanics more than anything).
As for your previous questions...
1. What would you say Exalted's essential features are?
That when you start, you are a power to be acknowledged. You aren't a zero to hero, you already did that and are now Exalted. Your every step may not shake the foundations of Creation, but you aren't far off from it.
There isn't Good and Evil as cosmic forces or with the setting clearly divided into "These are the bad guys over here, and the good guys over here." People are fundamentally people, even when they're ancient world shaking demigods who established the current status quo long ago and their actions are reasonable and understandable.
The idea that actions cannot be undone. You cannot make it so something that happened never happened. You can try to heal or repair something wounded or damaged. You can try to make something right, but you cannot undo the fact that something happened.
2. What about Exalted would describe as most interesting and evocative?
Malfeas and the demonic hierarchy. They are not, fundamentally speaking, evil beings. They are alien, certainly, and a good number of them are hostile but that has more to do with them having been kicked off of their comfy thrones in the Age of Glory and imprisoned ever since than anything.
The blend of mythological influences, particularly Eastern and Bronze Age rather than Tolkien and Arthurian.
The integration of fluff and crunch.
The inherent and contrasting cynicism and optimism of the basic setting. You are a chosen champion of the gods, yes. But you were chosen for a war that your predecessors ended eons ago. Your god has long since gone into retirement. You are not inherently righteous for your status or power, which you have only because you can't stuff everything back into Pandora's Box.
All that said, what does that change? So what if you are a weapon created for a war long since ended? Does that mean you cannot help others? Does that mean you cannot bring peace and order to this torn apart world?
There is no requirement that you be good or wise, nor do you have anything that makes it easy for you to be those things. But does that mean that you can't?
How's the quote go? "Any man can stand up to adversity, but if you truly wish to test a man's character give him power."
There's nothing saying you will succeed. But nothing says you fail either.
3. What would you call Exalted's worst features?
The Great Curse.
You don't need some kind of magical super secret curse for things to have gone the way they did. You don't need a super secret curse for bright ideals or high dreams to blacken and stain. You don't need it for people of power to grow distant and apathetic. And you certainly don't need it for people to see problems in the world and turn against one another because they cannot agree on the right course of action.
Setting details that don't make sense, like trade wars between countries thousands of miles apart.
The Underworld, for somehow fucking up and making a realm created from the nightmares of slain Titans and tempered by the prayer and memories of all who have died since, boring.
How the vast the gulf in power is between the Exalts and vast majority of the rest of the setting. Sure, you're playing the top 1% and being significantly above everyone else is sorta part of the territory. But being completely unchallenged?
I don't want a mortal with a knife to be a threat. Even a lot of mortals with knives shouldn't be a terribly great threat. But I'd like for a human who has trained for decades, awakened his Essence, learned esoteric and mystical arts, and so for to rate a bit higher than "Elite Mook."
I'd also prefer for it be because the power of humans was brought up rather than the power of the Exalted was brought down, but that's a matter of personal taste.
