User blog comment:Ironreaper/Retcons and Contradictions in the Reapers/@comment-4579012-20120421184209/@comment-1900300-20120422064709

Um yeah they were the same. I dont see why if something looks like a laser it has to be. Mass Effect has always been a series about explaining everything in quasi-realistic ways. So they considered a giant laser not to suit the series and instead made it a super fast stream of metal that hits and burns like hell. Why does the distinction matter anyway? you get the same result.