The relationship between Geralt of Rivia and Yennefer of Vengerberg is an integral part of The Witcher books. Anyone attempting to adapt Andrzej Sapkowski's work needs to make sure they do the couple justice.
Luckily both the games and the Netflix series do a great job of providing fans an entertaining and compelling relationship between the Witcher and his favorite Sorceress (sorry Triss).
However, many fans have questioned which series did it better? To help answer that, we've come up with five reasons why Geralt and Yennefer's relationship in the games is superior, and another five showing why Netflix's version of the duo is better.
10 Games: Funnier Interactions
The show has its fair share of comedy, though plenty of that comes during the scenes between Geralt and Jaskier. Geralt and Yennefer's interactions are usually serious and/or romantic, with only the occasional joke to lighten the mood.
In the games, the duo banter with each other a lot more. From comments about the notorious unicorn to Yennefer's sarcasm to Geralt's utter hatred of portals, it's rare for a scene to go by without one of them making a witty remark. Maybe in future seasons of the show, they'll inject more comedy into the couple's scenes, but right now, Geralt and Yen from the games are the funnier pair.
9 Show: It's Better Established
At the start of Witcher 3 Geralt and Yennefer already have an established relationship. The issue is, it wasn't established in the games. The developers seemingly assumed that every player had read the books. However, for anyone who hasn't read the books, the start of the pair's relationship in the games feels very odd. They are given no reason why the two like each other or the dynamics of the relationship. A flashback or two would've been useful.
In the Netflix series, the couple's first meeting comes when Geralt needs help for Jaskier after he's been attacked by a djinn. The viewer actually gets to see Geralt and Yen's first interactions and why they are interested in one another without the need for other pieces of media.
8 Games: They Work Together More
Episode six of the Netflix series consists of Geralt and Yennefer working together (for the second half) to hunt and then later protect a dragon and its egg. Seeing the duo work and fight together is great, yet it is a rarity in the show, where they spend most of their time apart.
In contrast, during The Witcher 3, Geralt and Yennefer are both trying to find Ciri, which naturally leads to them working alongside each other. For example, when they steal and later use the Mask of Uroborus or when they lift Uma's curse, these quests wouldn't be as enjoyable as they are without the presence of both Geralt and Yen.
7 Show: Yennefer Is A More Developed Character
Netflix's version of Yennefer is a lot more fleshed out than her video game counterpart. This is because players only get to see the Yennefer from The Witcher 3 through the eyes of Geralt. It's impossible to know what she is thinking or feeling unless she tells the Witcher.
In the show, she is one of the leads, and viewers actually get to see the struggles and obstacles she has to overcome that don't involve Geralt. It allows you to be more invested in Yennefer's and Geralt's connection as it's a relationship between two characters whom you really know.
6 Games: Geralt Chooses Yennefer
One of the biggest differences between the show and the games is that the show doesn't have Geralt, Yennefer, and Triss's love triangle (yet). In Witcher 3, players have to choose between the two sorceresses.
With Triss being a perfectly viable partner for Geralt, choosing Yennefer truly shows how much he cares for her. Plus, if players choose to turn down the multiple other women who make advances towards Geralt throughout Witcher 3, then that further demonstrates his loyalty to Yen. Henry Cavill's version of Geralt doesn't show his love in as big of a way. He magically linked them together, but that seemed like a rushed decision.
5 Show: Yen Is Never Overshadowed By Triss
Unfortunately for Yennefer, if you're making someone choose between two love interests, they both have to seem like good partners, and that's what the Witcher developers did. Triss is in all three games, unlike Yennefer, so a lot of the time, the redhead seems like the most natural choice for Geralt, particularly for people who haven't read the books. Geralt and Triss spend more time together throughout the games, and in some ways, they make a better couple.
Triss in the show is more of a secondary character. She might have some nice scenes with Geralt, but they always seem like just friends and nothing more. At this point in the Netflix series, the idea of Triss ending up with Geralt sounds crazy.
4 Games: Yen's Relationship With Ciri
In the show, Yen has not yet met Ciri. In the games, the Sorceress loves the young Witcher almost as much as she loves Geralt. This is clear when Yennefer risks a cataclysm on Skellige and later uses dangerous black magic just to get information on Ciri's whereabouts.
Also, the moment the pair reunite is one of the most heartwarming in the series and shows how much they mean to each other. Yen's close relationship with Ciri enhances the one she has with Geralt because it makes the three of them seem like a real family.
3 Show: It's A More Tumultuous Relationship
Having a tumultuous relationship sounds like a bad thing, and in real life it is. In a fictional world, it's more entertaining to watch. The disagreements, fights, and betrayals that Geralt and Yennifer go through with each other during the show keeps their relationship compelling.
Whereas when you're pursuing a relationship with Yen in Witcher 3, things occasionally feel too easy. Any argument they have is short-lived and is rarely that serious. There's never a feeling like the pair are going to break up (unless you're pursuing Triss behind Yen's back). In the show, their relationship is more unpredictable and exciting.
2 Games: There's Proof That Yen Actually Loves Geralt
In both Witcher 3 and the show, Geralt and Yennefer are tied together because of a djinn's spell. During The Last Wish quest in the game, they manage to remove the magic that links them, and afterward, Yennefer still loves Geralt. This shows the djinn's magic had nothing to do with how she felt.
Obviously, with the show still being in the early stages of the pair's relationship, they've not managed to have that scene yet. However, before the djinn linked them together, Yennefer didn't seem to have much affection for Geralt. She was interested in the Witcher for sure, but shortly after their first meeting, she took control of him and made him attack people for her (not exactly Romeo and Juliet). Yennefer will probably show her love for Geralt later in the series, but she hasn't yet.
1 Show: The Performances
Doug Cockle and Denise Gough do a fantastic job voicing Geralt and Yennefer in The Witcher 3. However, sometimes there is only so much someone can do with just their voice.
Every big moment between Geralt and Yennefer in the Netflix series is enhanced by the excellent performances of Henry Cavill and Anya Chalotra. For instance, the look of betrayal on Yennefer's face after she learns that they're only together because of magic. The tears in her eyes when she walks away from the Witcher makes that scene incredibly emotional. It's the sort of moment that can't be repeated with voice-acting alone, but it's one that certainly makes you more invested in the duo's relationship.