Hacking Into Erebus is a hacking game centered on taking control of a spacecraft named USS Erebus. The ship is stranded on a remote alien planet. The crew is in cryogenic sleep. The player physically navigates inside the ship using robots while simultaneously gaining access to its network systems. The ship's central operating system, ARIA, protects the system but operates aggressively against the player. The player must manage robots and interact with panels and terminals to successfully take control of the ship's systems.