2016 is half over, so the Weekenders have chosen to review their favorite games (and non-The Americans TV series!) of the year so far. You know, so we don't forget about them in December. Elsewhere, they contend with movies depicting sad-but-true historic events of the 90s and remember that The Expanse is really, really good TV.

It's the big E3 show, with a roundup of the games that looked the most interesting at this year's massive industry trade show. But it's also a sober week, as we spend much of our mailbag time pondering the industry's reaction to the Orlando tragedy. It's two Big Topics for the price of one this weekend.

With the PlayStation Neo and Xbox Scorpion potentially (probably) getting their big stat reveals next week at E3, the Weekenders ponder the brave and/or very annoying future of console iteration. Elsewhere on the cast, Danielle has a giant philosophical brainfart and Rob ponders the real meaning of the best BioShock movie: Snowpiercer.

This episode, the Weekenders discuss a favorite topic: the push and pull between tight, well-constructed scenarios and wide-open rulesets. How open is an open-world game, after all, and how open should it be? Elsewhere, we discuss sexy characters, comedy that takes on mental illness with sensitivity, and the very strange sci-fi/action/romance of The Adjustment Bureau.

The Weekenders break with their usual format to discuss the sort of thing most gaming podcasts do: what they've been playing. Rob charts the waters of Uncharted 3 in preparation for A Thief's End, Danielle dives into Overwatch fandom, and everyone is enamored with The Witcher 3 all over again. And spy TV shows. It must be Idle Weekend!

The Weekenders are enamored with the most gloriously goofy video game of 2016 thus far: id's fast, furious, and self-assured Doom reboot. When not scouring demon-infested Martian hellscapes (or just... Hell's hellscapes) for Doomguys to fist-bump, Danielle ponders the delights of Soft Body and Rob goes toe-to-toe with a million-orc army.

The weekenders examine the curious case of a game critic who... gave his opinion on a video game. Then the game's publisher told its fans that it's ok for a critic to do such a thing. It's the curious case of Stellaris! Elsewhere, the weekenders ponder sexism in games they enjoy and tackle Captain America: Civil War.

The Weekenders are joined by freelance game critic extraordinaire Heather Alexandra to discuss AAA game franchises' ever-present need to top themselves. Will every major franchise end up in space? Is marketing to blame? Is Saints Row really the best? Plus: Overwatch, Blizzard's candy colored shooter, and Kim, a Rudyard Kipling novel adaptation. So, basically the same thing.

The Weekenders have a full plate this time around, with PAX stories of fake wrestling, playing Pyre, and taking in the atmosphere of an overcrowded show floor. Later, Rob dives into the wonderful Mad Max: Fury Road, and Danielle gets her secret decoder ring ready for a wild marathon of The Americans.

With both Weekenders starting a love affair with Street Fighter V, this week is all about coming to blows with fighting games and the real-life combat sports that inspire them. The depth, heart, and complications of controlled violence—in real life and its digital formats—offer a great deal for us to wrestle with.