Recs.
Updated
SpecsUpdate
Pros
Pro Allows meeting new people
Ingress is a very social game best enjoyed by playing with others from your own faction. Leaders organize unofficial local Ingress and social events and Ingress has many opportunities to participate official "anomalies" where as many as a thousand players of all levels gather to wage a virtual war over a predetermined territory (usually larger cities or historical places). Occasional cross-faction events are organized to get to know the enemy.
To find other players you can search Google+ or reach out to high level players of your own faction to ask them to how to get involved in your local community. Ingress has an official communities directory here.
Pro Will encourage you to explore the world around you
Ingress will get you out and about, walk, bike, drive, swim, float or otherwise. You will notice more of your surroundings, more artworks and interesting places. You will explore areas to find potential new points of interest. It will get you fitter in the meantime.
Pro Interactive cyberpunk story
There's a story of espionage, near-future technology and conspiracy surrounding the game that everyone takes part in, maybe even unkowingly. It is mainly told through the nianticproject.com website.
Pro Helps teach cryptography principles through the gameplay
Niantic posts daily storyline updates containing passcodes solvable with common cryptographic principles for in-game items. Loads of fun, helps you get gear, and lets you learn a thing or two about classical crypto and encodings.
Pro Huge organized events where you can meet up with like minded people
Officially sanctioned anomaly events are hosted in cities around the world. Hundreds and sometimes thousands of players gather to try and dominate for their faction.
Check the Ingress event page as well as the Ingress Google+ page for more info.
Pro Enveloping real-world gameplay where the environment is part of the game itself
Ingress is an augmented reality game, so you have to move around the real world to progress in the game, with all that it entails - weather, time of day, city density, etc. The game will follow your movement through your devices' GPS, meaning it works in real time and considers all of the surrounding environment. This makes for a situation that feels all that more real due to traveling in the real-world.
Cons
Con Congested areas dominated
It's an extremely fun concept, walking around and building up affinity with local nodes to you. However, the fun comes to an abrupt stop when a wandering high-level player, in one visit, levels your affinity and puts you in a position where you have no hope of affecting their control. The long-term and serious players leave new players with very little recourse.
Recommendations
Comments
Flagged Pros + Cons
Pro Teaches cryptography
Niantic posts daily storyline updates containing passcodes solvable with common cryptographic principles for in-game items. Loads of fun, helps you get gear, and lets you learn a thing or two about classical crypto and encodings.
Pro Great way to meet new people as the game directs numerous people to the same locations
Meeting new people through a game is a very new concept, and it helps to increase your social circle and gives you a reason to get out of your house and discover your local area.
Pro Great for exploration and physical activity thanks to how much the game asks the user to travel around
Ingress will get you out and about, walk, bike, drive, swim, float or otherwise. You will notice more of your surroundings, more artworks and interesting places. You will explore areas to find potential new points of interest. It will also get you fitter in the meantime.