The Mood Matrix logo.
The Mood Matrix is a program on Athena Cykes' computer (nicknamed Widget), which is worn around her neck as a necklace. Cykes has a special ability to pick up subtle emotional cues in the voices of other people, and uses the Mood Matrix to examine these cues while witnesses are giving their testimonies. This provides an alternative to standard cross-examinations.
Function
The Mood Matrix in action.
The Mood Matrix takes the form of a holographic screen that shows the emotions that a witness is experiencing whilst giving their testimony. There are four faces at each corner of the screen, called "mood markers", representing happiness, anger, sadness/fear, and surprise. These faces flash at varying intensities based on the witness's emotions. The screen also projects visual re-enactments based on the witness's testimony.
When an emotion conflicts with what is being said - such as an unexpected emotion appearing, or a noticeable increase, decrease or lack of an expected emotion - the player touches "Pinpoint" (or presses the "L" button) and then selects the mood marker in question, causing the protagonist to yell "Got it!". This causes the witness's testimony to change, based on the witness's resurfacing memories.
Occasionally, contradictions between the testimony and evidence may appear as a result of amended testimony; in this case, the protagonist is prompted to present evidence at the appropriate statement, just like in cross-examination. In one case, the player must switch between the two modes of presenting evidence and probing emotions.
When the Mood Matrix program is not being used, Widget takes on various colors and expressions to reflect Cykes's mood, including the aforementioned mood markers.
Overload mode
Emotional overload.
When a detected emotion has an extremely strong reading, it interrupts the signals of the other mood markers, thus removing them from the screen. The player must then detect the source of the emotion using the images. Once the source is found, the player must touch the "Probe" button (or press the "L" button) and point it out to calm down the witness. Usually only one emotion goes out of control, with two known exceptions.
Characters with Mood Matrix segments
- Juniper Woods
- Jinxie Tenma*
- Damian Tenma
- Robin Newman*
- Hugh O’Conner*
- Yuri Cosmos
- Simon Blackquill*
- Bobby Fulbright
- Norma DePlume
- Marlon Rimes*
Name
The program is called the "kokoro sukōpu" (ココロスコープ; lit. "Heart Scope") in the Japanese version of the game, and the device's nickname is "Monita" （モニ太).