You can’t really discuss the best games ever made without mentioning The Witcher 3. The fact of the matter is that this game has gone above and beyond the call of duty when it comes to delivering the quintessential role-playing experience. Getting into the boots of Geralt has never been more fun, immersive, or engrossing than The Witcher 3, which swept all the awards it could possibly get when it was released in 2015 — and rightfully so.
One of the major reasons why this game is beloved by many is its diverse cast of rich characters, all of whom manage to resonate with the players in some way or another. One such person is Yennefer, whose appearance in the Witcher series was one that fans were salivating for. The legendary flame in Geralt’s life finally made her appearance in The Witcher 3, with fans more than happy to see her being faithful to her book counterpart.
However, there are times when CD Projekt Red has taken their fair share of liberties when it comes to portraying this character. Here are five ways in which Yennefer acted out of character, coupled with five instances where she stayed true to the books.
10 ACTED OUT OF CHARACTER: She’s Way Too Attractive In The Games
By no means is Yennefer not good-looking in the books — if anything, most people wouldn’t shy away from calling her a beauty. However, there are flaws to Yennefer’s looks that Geralt could easily notice with his enhanced vision.
On the other hand, the Yennefer showed in the games is unanimously considered to be beautiful, with little to no imperfections marring her looks.
9 JUST LIKE IN THE BOOKS: Will Leave No Stone Unturned To Get What She Wants
Yennefer is incredibly dedicated when it comes to getting the things she wants, and she will stop at nothing to ensure that her desires become reality.
This is fueled by her narcissistic tendencies to look at everything from her point of view, without taking into consideration how her actions will affect the people around her… something that will be explained in detail later on.
8 ACTED OUT OF CHARACTER: She’s Too Tall
In the books, Yennefer isn’t tall at all. This might be largely due to her history of being a hunchback and how that affected her growth.
This is not the case in the games, with Yennefer being tall enough to rival even the most physically imposing people around.
7 JUST LIKE IN THE BOOKS: Will Go Above And Beyond To Protect The People Close To Her
While Yennefer isn’t completely open when it comes to strangers, forming a bond with her — hard as that might be — means that she will stick by your side through thick and thin.
This fierce loyalty is perfectly depicted in the games as well, making Yennefer a valuable friend to have in tough times.
6 ACTED OUT OF CHARACTER: She’s Not Supposed To Have A British Accent
While Yennefer does emanate an aura of royalty at times, the books tend to make this aspect of her relatively subtle… unlike the games and the Netflix show.
Both mediums feature Yennefer with a distinctly British accent that makes her appear all the more regal, albeit at the cost of being faithful to her character in the books.
5 JUST LIKE IN THE BOOKS: She Can Be Quite Jealous At Times
Yennefer might try to act all high-and-mighty, but she’s not above feeling jealous at times. The worst instance of this in the books is when Ciri grows up and Yennefer feels threatened by her adoptive daughter’s closeness with Geralt — something that she quickly grows out of.
In the games, this jealousy is somewhat understandable… especially if the player decides to brush off Yennefer’s advances and stick with Triss instead.
4 ACTED OUT OF CHARACTER: Her Hair Is Wavy In The Books
Another physical characteristic that the games have taken some liberty when it comes to Yennefer is her hair.
While they’ve generally nailed the color of the raven-haired sorceress, the developers decided to make her hair straight as opposed to Yennefer’s wavy hair in the books.
3 JUST LIKE IN THE BOOKS: Will Do Everything In Her Power To Protect Ciri
Yennefer’s tendency to get what she wants and protect the people close to her has already been explored before, but this reaches a whole new level when it comes to taking care of Ciri.
Whether it be the books or the games, Yennefer would travel the ends of the earth if that ensured Ciri’s safety. She crosses the Lodge itself in the books, while in the games she does everything from reviving a dead spirit to almost using a tool that would send the entirety of Skellige into ruin to locate Ciri.
2 ACTED OUT OF CHARACTER: The Dynamic Between Her And Ciri Is Lacking
Unfortunately, while CD Projekt Red nailed the aspect of Yennefer doing everything possible to save Ciri, the actual relationship between these two is woefully underrepresented.
While they do have their moments, the game clearly focuses more on Geralt and Ciri’s dynamic, as opposed to Yennefer and her adoptive daughter.
1 JUST LIKE IN THE BOOKS: Shows Signs Of Mild Borderline Personality Disorder
Yennefer hasn’t exactly had the most steady upbringing, with the trauma of her past still affecting her as a person. The mere fact that she attempted suicide should be proof enough of this.
Her emotions are somewhat unstable and volatile — as seen in the way she blasts off at Geralt for bringing her to Kaer Morhen, where he was bedding Triss behind her back — and she can be quite impulsive and short-sighted when she’s in one of her moods.
NEXT: The Witcher 3: 10 Hilarious Yennefer Memes That Will Make You Cry Laughing
