There are several (minor) differences in the European version v the Japanese Final Fantasy XIII game. below are the main three...Vibration
Does it have vibration like the Japanese version? Yes it does, but the strength has been reduced so much that some players don't even notice. Why did Square do this?
Shroud Menu
The 'Smoke Menu' in Final Fantasy XIII Japanese release stayed open during game play, you could access it anytime. In the European version of the game you have to press L1 to open the shroud menu and again you can't move so make sure you're at an ideal distance from the target or time will run out before you use your weapon.
Save Points
In the Japanese version of Final Fantasy XIII when players exit the save menu they can hold down the analogue stick and switch back to game play instantly. In the European version if you do this you stay still until you release the analogue stick. A minor point, but why change this?