Atlus added new content to Persona 4: Golden, but it’s possible to miss some key items. Since we’ve been playing the Vita version for a couple of weeks here are some pointers for Inaba 2.0. There are some spoilers here, but we’ll try to keep those to a minimum.
Fuse Sarasvati
At level 19, Sarasvati learns Invigorate 2, an invaluable ability that allows that automatically recovers 5 SP per round. Once you have this ability you can go to an earlier dungeon like the Castle and guard to recover the main character’s SP. Persona 4: Golden lets players choose which abilities a new persona inherits so you can pass Invigorate 2 for the entire game or until you learn Invigorate 3.
Marie
Marie is a new character in Persona 4: Golden. She works in the Velvet Room copying and selling skill cards. The protagonist (Yu) can also develop the Aeon social link with Marie after visiting the Velvet Room. Marie will wait for Yu outside the Velvet Room entrance in the Shopping District. You need to max out the Aeon link to open up a new dungeon, one of the key features in Persona 4.
Adachi
Yu can also bond with Adachi who holds the Jester Social Link. Adachi is usually at Junes by the elevator, but other times you have to meet him in the Central Shopping district at night. He’s tricky to find so you might want to consider spending time with Adachi whenever he is available. Get Adachi’s social link to level 10 and you can unlock a twisted persona.
New Ending
Persona 4: Golden has a new ending, but it’s fairly well buried and easy to overlook. Let’s just say you have to do something "unthinkable" to see it.
Ride your bike
Yu gets his scooter early in the game, but you need to ride it around the neighborhood a few times before you can visit Okina City. After you reach Okina City, you need to take the scooter on long trips to unlock the beach area. I suggest riding the scooter on rainy days since most social links are unavailable. Riding your bike also increases your courage statistic.
Okina City
Originally, a place for Social Link event scenes, Okina City is now an area you can explore in Persona 4: Golden. If you rescued whoever is trapped in the TV you can watch movies at 30 Frame. Occasionally, a character will call Yu up and say they want to see a film. Invite them along and you can improve your relationship.
Cafe Chagall lets players extract a skill card from a persona for 5,000 yen. Let’s say you have Raja Naga, one of the Aeon personas in Persona 4: Golden, you can pull Fatal End off and give that to another persona. Skills that can be extracted have a tarot card icon next to them in the status screen.
Croco Fur sells costumes, but most of these are really expensive. Other costumes the protagonist’s magician outfit are earned automatically through in game events.
Shichiri Beach
You can’t walk around Shichiri Beach, but there are three new things to do here. Swimming increases Yu’s courage and if you swim on a rainy day you level up understanding too.
Gazing out to the sea gives one persona a new skill. Unfortunately, you can’t choose the skill or the persona that receives it.
Shichiri Beach has a fishing spot with new fish to catch.
Bug Net
Persona 4: Golden has a new bug catching mini-game, but you have to find the net to play it. Visit the shrine at night with something fishy to acquire it. The bug net lets players catch bait for the fishing mini-game.
Shiroku Pub
The item store turns into a bar at night. Yu can exchange gems earned from fighting shadows for weapons here. Most of the weapons are joke items like a flying disc for Yukiko and a fish sword for Yu.
Gardening
Planting seeds improves your relationship with Nanako and Dojima plus yields items. Here are some of the items you can harvest:
Cracked Wheat – is a chest key
Tiny Soul Tomato – recovers 20SP
Return Daikon – lets you return to the dungeon entrance
Hiranya Cabbage – heals all aliments for ally other than KO
Paprika – gives fire, ice, electricity or wind resistance depending on the color
Tetracorn – creates a barrier that reflects one physical attack
Makaracorn – creates a barrier that reflects one physical attack
Scapegoat Eggplant – absorbs an instant death spell
Bead Melon – fully restores on ally’s HP and SP
You can purchase seeds from a woman in Junes and in front of the Dojima residence in the morning. When you see an icon above the blue pail it’s time to harvest the crops.
Petting a cat actually levels you up
When Dojima isn’t around Yu can sneak out of the house at night and build social links. You can hang out with friends or ditch them to spend time with a cat which increases your understanding.
Social Link skills
Persona 4: Golden rewards players that build Social Links with party members with additional skills. Social Link skills are unique to each character, but most character get an ability to evade their weakness at level 10. For example, Yosuke gets Evade Wind while Chie gets Evade Fire. Yukiko also learns Mudo and Mudoon through her Social Link.
Bike Skills
After everyone gets their moped license, you’ll see your teammates hanging out by the gas station in the afternoon. Character learn different skills, usually abilities that make them more versatile in battle, when going on a bike ride.
Yosuke can learn Megido and Diarahan.
Chie gets magic skills like Hama, Hamon, and Bufudyne.
Yukiko gains useful abilities for a magic user like Spirit Drain and Mind Charge.
Kanji picks up healing magic like Media and Mediarama.
Teddie acquires a mix of skills like Mustard Bomb and Evade Physical.
Naoto develops Bufudyne, Ziodyne, Tetraja, and Angelic Grace.
Rise
Rise is much more powerful in Persona 4: Golden. After you start her Social Link Rise helps out during all out attacks. You can increase the damage Rise does through bike skills. Rise also learns Full Analysis which reveals enemy skills and Stamina Song that restores 10% after each battle through her Social Link. The most useful thing Rise does is she randomly shows up and buffs the party.
Team Attacks
After doing an all out attack your party will automatically do a team attack if you have the right combination of characters. Consider bringing characters that are buddies like Chie and Yukiko…
Third Persona
All party members have a new third persona. You can get this persona by maxing out their social link by January. Third tier personas still have the same weaknesses, but gain resistance toward one additional attribute and can absorb another element. Atlus also created new powerful skills for third tier personas.
