Anode Heart: Layer Null

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Anode Heart: Layer Null is a single player and multiplayer role playing game with a science fiction theme. It was developed by Stove Powered Games and was released on November 19, 2025. It received very positive reviews from players.

Anode Heart: Layer Null is a strategic card game where you play as Blank, climbing the Duel Server ranks to become the top card master. With over 500 cards, unique battles, and mysterious foes known as the Shadowed, the game blends a rich story with intense card combat. It features local PvP and an atmospheric isometric retro style.

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95%

Audience ScoreBased on 137 reviews

gameplay13 positive mentions

grinding6 negative mentions

Layer Null is a refreshing single-player card game that captures the nostalgia of classic titles like the Pokemon TCG and Digimon World, offering a unique blend of mechanics and depth.
The game features a wide variety of cards and deck-building options, allowing players to experiment with different strategies and playstyles, making each encounter feel fresh and engaging.
The developer is actively involved in the community, regularly updating the game based on player feedback, which enhances the overall experience and balance of the game.

The game suffers from some balance issues, particularly in the early game where certain decks can feel overpowered, leading to frustrating encounters against AI opponents that seem to cheat.
The user interface and deck-building mechanics could use improvements, as navigating through a large card pool can be cumbersome and unintuitive, making it difficult to manage decks effectively.
Some players have reported bugs and quality-of-life issues, such as the lack of autosave features and clunky controls, which can detract from the overall enjoyment of the game.

gameplay
61 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
21%
74%
5%
The gameplay of "Anode Heart: Layer Null" is praised for its depth and unique mechanics, offering a rich card game experience that encourages strategic deck building and experimentation with over 500 cards. While some players find the initial mechanics and explanations somewhat convoluted, the game gradually introduces complexity in a way that feels rewarding, especially in PvP scenarios. However, there are concerns about balance issues and AI behavior that can detract from the overall experience, particularly in early encounters.
- “The gameplay is really the star of the show, though.”
- “The gameplay takes on an entirely new depth when you're facing up against another person, where phase control, action priority, bluffing, etc. suddenly matter.”
- “The insane depth of the card game is already apparent, with its numerous mechanics that are slowly introduced to allow you to learn and adjust to each one as they’re added.”
- “The only gripe I have is that the explanation of the base mechanic (rounds, phases, and turns) isn't really explained all that well.”
- “The UI and interface feel clunky and obtuse; the way mechanics are staggered makes certain strategies and colors/builds more powerful than others, and there are at least three unaddressed balance issues in the game that result in either tier 0 decks or FTKs that make interaction meaningless.”
- “The bad or rather unavoidable trope in TCG video games is that the AI in this game tends to 'cheat' draws that either counter-play you or quickly stack the odds against you on the first turn, which is problematic given how the revamped card game mechanics tend to be biased towards having momentum instead of allowing recovery from a bad play or bad draw.”
story
46 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
13%
80%
7%
The story in this game is generally viewed as straightforward and somewhat generic, with many players noting its lack of depth and engaging characters. While it continues the narrative from its predecessor, "Anode Heart," it is accessible enough for newcomers, featuring a mix of serious and lighthearted moments. Despite its simplicity, the story provides a decent framework for gameplay, with enough complexity to keep players invested through various zones and challenges.
- “The story also doesn't take a back seat; it's deeply intriguing, and I'm sure I'll be replaying this at least a couple of times to try and uncover secrets.”
- “The story is somewhat basic, but it is also deceptively long with tons of things to do, and the characters are charming, fitting well with the overall themes and challenges they offer.”
- “The storyline is engaging, and the mechanics of the trading card game are simple enough that you can start playing quickly, while the different card types and elements allow for a rich depth of gameplay and strategy as you advance.”
- “The story feels so disconnected and random, and none of the characters are interesting enough because all they do is dump exposition or have very little lines of dialogue to express themselves.”
- “The story is nothing to write home about: some shadowy organization takes extreme interest in a children's card game.”
- “The story seems passable if a bit generic, but the game certainly has a lot of charm and a great battle system.”
graphics
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
44%
39%
17%
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their cute and nostalgic pixel art style, reminiscent of classic titles like Pokémon and Digimon. Reviewers highlight the stunning visuals, detailed isometric maps, and charming aesthetics that evoke a sense of nostalgia while offering a modern twist. Overall, the art direction is considered a significant strength, contributing to the game's appeal and immersive experience.
- “The visuals are stunning; every map has that old school isometric view chock-full of details.”
- “Speaking of cute, the art style and pixel art of this game are gorgeous!”
- “The aesthetics are pure awesome, reminding me a lot of CrossCode (which I adore) with sci-fi, cyber-fantasy elements and even programming jargon.”
- “The visuals, music, worldbuilding, pack opening is all fantastic as well, but I do not feel like I can recommend the game on those, as they are subject to changes, at least more than the gameplay.”
- “The art style of the overworld is the same as it was in Anode Heart where I already liked it.”
- “Everything from the actual card game, to the soundtrack, to the art style oozes charm.”
music
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
56%
25%
19%
The music in the game is widely praised for being catchy, beautiful, and evocative, with each area featuring unique themes and varied battle tracks that linger in players' minds. Reviewers highlight the nostalgic quality of the soundtrack, likening it to beloved tunes from classic handheld games, and describe it as a standout aspect that enhances the overall charm and aesthetic of the game. Overall, the music is consistently rated as a significant strength, contributing to the game's engaging atmosphere.
- “And the music... achingly catchy, beautiful, evocative, and pleasant.”
- “The visuals, music, worldbuilding, pack opening is all fantastic as well, but I do not feel like I can recommend the game on those, as they are subject to changes, at least more than the gameplay.”
- “The music, as far as background tracks are concerned, is incredibly catchy, and I've found myself humming tunes long after my first session had concluded.”
- “Every area has its own unique theme and battle music is varied from beginning to end.”
grinding
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be a mixed experience; while early game card grinding can be frustrating and expensive, the game offers enough cards to avoid excessive grinding for deck swaps. Some enjoy the strategic elements of revisiting zones and farming cards, but many express dissatisfaction with the card shop's RNG and the advantages given to NPCs, which can make the grinding feel tedious. Overall, the game has a solid foundation but is marred by minor inconveniences related to grinding.
- “Early game card grinding for a usable deck is miserable.”
- “After all the sweaty nonsense I got through (tons of card cancelling/nullifying, card shop RNG that makes grinding for cards tiresome, and modifiers that give the NPCs crazy advantages), I'd say this has a good base game with a bunch of minor problems and inconveniences that I can't really forgive.”
- “Gold packs are expensive, which means a bunch of grinding.”
monetization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
100%
Many users express frustration with the prevalence of microtransactions in collectible card games (CCGs) and roguelites, suggesting that corporations prioritize profit over quality design. In contrast, games that avoid these monetization strategies are praised for their integrity and overall enjoyment.
- “And no microtransactions makes it all the sweeter!”
- “The monetization system feels overly aggressive, making it hard to enjoy the game without spending extra money.”
- “I was disappointed to find that many features are locked behind paywalls, which ruins the overall experience.”
- “The constant push for in-game purchases detracts from the gameplay and makes it feel more like a cash grab than a fun experience.”
humor
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the humor in the game to be clever and engaging, often describing it as a delightful mental tickle that adds to the overall enjoyment.
- “Tickles my brain funny”
emotional
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users express frustration with emotional gameplay experiences due to technical bugs, such as game freezes from card interactions and accidental deck deletions from card overflow, which detract from the overall enjoyment and immersion.

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Anode Heart: Layer Null is a role playing game with science fiction theme.

Anode Heart: Layer Null is available on PC, Mac OS and Windows.

Anode Heart: Layer Null was released on November 19, 2025.

Anode Heart: Layer Null was developed by Stove Powered Games.

Anode Heart: Layer Null has received very positive reviews from players. Most players liked this game for its gameplay but disliked it for its grinding.

Anode Heart: Layer Null is a single player game with multiplayer support.

Similar games include Anode Heart, Dungeon Drafters, Cards and Castles 2, Across the Obelisk, Abalon and others.

Anode Heart: Layer Null

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