The following contains spoilers for Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii.
The Like a Dragon/Yakuza series has no shortage of compelling villains, from Ryuji Goda to Yoshitaka Mine. Many of the franchise's best villains are considered iconic due to each entry's ability to tell a memorable story and thoroughly flesh out its antagonists, and now Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii has taken the stage with its own villain to challenge those standards. Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii introduces a host of noteworthy antagonists during its story, but it isn't until a bit later that its true villain is revealed — Bryce Fairchild, the Sage of Palekana and the overseer of Hawaii's underworld.
While Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii arguably doesn't develop its antagonist to the extent that the series has with past villains, Bryce Fairchild still stands as one of the series' most distinctive antagonists in terms of intrigue. Of course, his role in the game as a benevolent leader makes his reveal somewhat predictable, but the predictability of a character's reveal doesn't necessarily determine the quality of that character and instead impacts the narrative. More than anything else, Bryce Fairchild is a unique concept in comparison to the series' past antagonists, and while his potential is not fully realized, it is still very much there.
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Why Bryce Fairchild Is One of Like a Dragon's Most Distinctive Villains Yet
Bryce Fairchild's Benevolent Facade Is Misleading of His True Nature
One common characteristic among many Like a Dragon/Yakuza villains is their dual-natured personality. These characters often present themselves as one thing in public while simultaneously hiding their true, more sinister nature. One of the most notable examples of this is Yakuza: Like a Dragon's Ryo Aoki, who presents himself as a reformist politician but deceptively manipulates the political world and criminal underworld behind the scenes. Yakuza 3's Yoshitaka Mine is another great example of a dual-natured villain, using his respectable, calm, and intelligent businessman persona to hide his true violent nature.
More than anything else, Bryce Fairchild is a unique concept in comparison to the series' past antagonists, and while his potential is not fully realized, it is still very much there.
Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii's Bryce Fairchild is similar in that he operates under two distinct personas. In the public eye, Fairchild is the Sage of Palekana, a longstanding religious organization in Hawaii. Palekana worships the Volcano Goddess Nele, and under the leadership of Fairchild, it has become one of Hawaii's most influential groups by providing charity services like food banks for the homeless. Ultimately, Fairchild's benevolent facade has allowed him to obtain the trust of government officials and the local community.
Beneath the surface, however, Fairchild uses the positive influence of Palekana as a front for his criminal activities. While maintaining the image of a selfless spiritual leader, Fairchild uses the organization's resources and influence to further his own illicit operations, thereby adding to the complexity of his character. What makes him so distinctive among the Like a Dragon/Yakuza series' other villains is the fact that he is a major religious leader, unlike past antagonists, who have simply had cult-like influences or religious undertones.
Bryce Fairchild's Ability to Manipulate Key Syndicates Shows His Strategic Prowess
Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii's Bryce Fairchild is more than his persona, however, as his ability to manipulate key syndicates in Hawaii's criminal underworld showcases his strategic prowess. Fairchild not only keeps both the Barracudas and the Ganzhe Mafia under his thumb, but his pursuit of Akane and Lani, driven by a desire for power, adds layers to his villainy, making his character both intriguing and menacing. In the end, these layers make Fairchild a more complex villain and ensure that any encounters with him are not just physical but also psychological in nature.
While Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii doesn't develop Bryce Fairchild as thoroughly as some of the franchise's most iconic villains, his role still stands out due to the unique way he holds fast to the series' recurring themes of deception and duality. His position as a revered religious leader gives him a unique position among the franchise's antagonists, using benevolence as a mask for his criminal ambitions in a way that hasn't been explored in previous entries.
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 81 /100 Critics Rec: 84%
- Released
- February 21, 2025
- ESRB
- Mature 17+ // Blood, Intense Violence, Partial Nudity, Sexual Themes, Strong Language, Use of Alcohol
- Developer(s)
- Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio
- Publisher(s)
- Sega
