《明日方舟-釋放》(Ark: Release)是以明日方舟（Arknights）世界觀為靈感所打造的同人向街機格鬥遊戲，開發者為SEA LEVEL。把原作中「幹員」的角色要素移植成街頭格鬥的操作體驗，選擇不同幹員參與大帝主辦的街頭競技，利用各式技能與連段將對手擊敗。整體定位明顯偏向方舟社群內部的玩家：那群熟悉角色設定、喜歡嘗試非正統玩法的核心玩家將最先被吸引。

在玩法層面，把重心放在動作連段與技能互動上，目前提供街機、雙人、本地或網路的多人模式、生存模式與領主征服等多樣選擇。街機與雙人模式讓玩家可以快速上手體驗角色間的差異與連招深度；生存與領主模式則引入長期挑戰與策略性的技能搭配，增加重玩價值。系統設計上強調「華麗的招式」與可被玩家挖掘的連段可能性，鼓勵玩家自行開發出屬於自己的操作風格。現階段可操控幹員約有八名，官方表示將來會陸續擴充，這對於愛好收集、嘗試新手感的玩家來說具備吸引力。

視覺與音效方面，試圖在保留明日方舟人物設計風格與世界觀氛圍的同時，將角色動作與技能特效做得更為誇張與街機感十足。由於本作屬於二創同人作品，因此在原素材移植與重繪上會看到明顯的愛好者風味：某些立繪或技動畫面會帶有致敬意味，配樂與音效也偏向增加打擊感與節奏感，以配合格鬥遊戲的快節奏需求。不過開發者已坦言引擎為ikemengo且「優化欠佳」，實際遊玩體驗中可能會遇到幀率波動、載入較久或多人模式連線不穩等技術問題，這是目前玩家反饋中最常被提及的弱點。

就市場評價與接受度來看，本作的優勢在於它切中一群願意為原作而嘗試非官方延展玩法的玩家。方舟的核心玩家對角色、配音與世界觀有高黏著度，當這類同人作品做到「還原感＋新鮮玩法」的平衡時，往往能在社群內快速引發話題、促成創作與比賽活動，帶動口碑。另一方面，因為遊戲是二創同人，潛在規模有限：主流玩家或對格鬥遊戲期望較高的玩家，若遊戲在操作精準度、平衡性與技術面的完成度不足，就容易流失。再者，遊戲目前只發布測試版、多人模式也暫時封閉至比賽人員，這限制了廣泛傳播的速度，除非後續能快速改善優化並開放完整多人體驗，否則口碑擴散會受制。

另外一項不可忽視的市場風險是版權與營運上的不確定性。明日方舟為商業IP，二創同人作品通常在愛好者圈層內可以獲得諒解與支援，但若項目規模擴大、牽涉到收費或衍生商業活動，可能會面臨權利方要求下架或談判的情況。這對社群推廣與長期營運是個潛在威脅，也會影響玩家與投資者的信心。因此，從長遠市場角度來看，若想超越小眾圈層，需要在法律合規、技術穩定性、以及商業模式（例如是否採免費、道具、贊助或賽事驅動）上做好規劃，並與原作權利方建立清楚的界線或合作可能性，才能開拓更大的受眾。

綜合評價上，《明日方舟-釋放》是對方舟IP的一次有趣而誠懇的同人嘗試：它為熟悉角色並想要體驗不同玩法的玩家提供一種新鮮感，街機式的快節奏和多模式設計也具備可玩性與社群互動潛力。不過，目前版本在技術優化與多人網路體驗上有明顯短板，且身為二創作品面臨的授權風險也限制了其商業化與長期發展。若你是方舟愛好者且能接受測試版的不完美，這款遊戲值得一試；若重視競技性、穩定連線或想投入商業型遊戲，則建議觀察後續更新與開發團隊如何回應優化與法務問題再決定是否投入時間或金錢。

最後，對開發者的建議是：優先改善遊戲核心操作與網路穩定性、擴充教學與練習模式降低上手門檻，並在社群中主動透明地溝通授權與未來計畫。對玩家的建議是：以社群參與與測試回饋心態體驗本作，將它當成愛好者社群中的一個有趣實驗，而不是成熟商業產品。

"Ark: Release" is a fan-made fighting game inspired by the Arknights universe, developed by SEA LEVEL. This project reimagines the familiar world of Terra in a completely new genre — transforming operators into street fighters who compete in “The Emperor’s” underground tournament. It offers a bold reinterpretation of the Arknights IP, aiming to give fans an entirely different way to experience their favorite characters.

The gameplay emphasizes fast-paced action and combo mechanics, inviting players to master unique skill sets and discover custom combo chains. The game currently includes several playable modes such as Arcade, Local Versus, Survival, and Boss Conquest, with Online Multiplayer currently limited to specific test participants. This early-access structure allows the community to focus on testing mechanics while the developers refine the system and balance. Players can currently choose from eight operators, with more characters planned for future updates. Each operator’s moveset reflects their in-game personality and abilities, making the combat flashy, stylish, and varied.

Visually, Ark: Release blends Arknights’ distinct anime-inspired aesthetic with an exaggerated street-fighting flair. The developer retains the charm of the original designs while enhancing the visual impact through bold effects and dynamic animations. Attacks are designed to feel powerful, and the overall tone resembles classic 2D fighting games with vibrant backgrounds and exaggerated motion. The soundtrack and sound effects enhance this arcade atmosphere, emphasizing rhythm and hit feedback to keep battles intense and satisfying. However, the developer has acknowledged technical issues — the game runs on the ikemengo engine, which has limited optimization. As a result, players may encounter inconsistent frame rates, long load times, and unstable performance in some modes, especially during local or networked play.

In terms of community reception, Ark: Release has found a niche among dedicated Arknights fans who enjoy creative fan projects. For many, the game represents a refreshing “what-if” experience — what if Arknights’ operators stepped out of the battlefield and into a street-fighting arena? Its originality and passion-driven development have earned it goodwill within the fanbase. However, players outside the Arknights community or those used to polished commercial fighting games may find the controls less precise and the balance uneven. Since it remains a fan project, the scope and polish naturally fall short of full-scale professional titles. Limited access to online play also slows its ability to gain broader popularity.

Another key challenge lies in the legal gray area of fan works. Because Ark: Release is based on a commercial IP, it operates under informal tolerance from the rights holders. If the project grows too large or ventures into monetization, it could face takedown risks or copyright disputes with Hypergryph, the creator of Arknights. This uncertainty makes it difficult to expand commercially or pursue long-term development. To succeed beyond a small circle of fans, SEA LEVEL would need to establish clearer licensing boundaries, improve optimization, and possibly explore collaboration with the original IP owners to legitimize the project.

Overall, “Ark: Release” stands as a passionate and inventive fan tribute — one that transforms the strategy-heavy Arknights world into a colorful, high-energy street fighting experience. Its strengths lie in its creativity, deep fan service, and flexible combat modes. However, technical instability, limited multiplayer access, and legal constraints currently hold it back from broader recognition.

For players, the game is worth trying if you are an Arknights enthusiast eager for a fresh take on familiar characters. Think of it as a community-driven experiment rather than a polished commercial release. For developers, the key next steps would be to stabilize performance, enhance online functionality, and communicate transparently with fans about future updates and permissions.

In essence, Ark: Release is a love letter to Arknights — raw, ambitious, and imperfect — but brimming with creative energy that showcases how fan communities can reimagine beloved worlds in unexpected ways.