Are the plots points for each game related to one another, or are they just two completely unrelated animals?

Verses is in the same Universe but a different time and a different place.

Separate games with similar titles.

I'm pretty sure Versus is just a spin off of the main game, XIII.

Appreciate the answers.  I just find it odd that Square Enix is releasing two very high budget games at once.  I don't think I've seen anyone do that before with two related games like that.

I belive versus XIII is being developed by the Square Enix Kingdom Hearts team and will be more like an action rpg. So, it's probably pretty different from the "regular" Final Fantasy XIII but I think that the reason they're releasing it under the name Final Fantasy Versus XIII is to show that the game is a spinoff rather then the next game in the Final Fantasy series. Still I think it's the more interesting of the two...

Versus takes place in the same universe and I believe roughly around the same time. Versus XIII will be darker than Vanilla XIII and will be an action RPG rather than a traditional RPG.

I really don't get why Square would put out a game with nearly the exact same title.  Anyways, I'm much more excited for Versus.  Here's hoping it delivers on the action and the darker tone.

I just cant wait for KH

I'm not sure what is meant by saying they take place in the same universe. The only thing I've heard is that they "are bound by a common mythology" having something to do with crystals. It's even been said that they take place in "different worlds". If this is true, then there doesn't seem to be any reasoning behind Fabula Nova Crystallis other than maybe marketing.

"Verses is in the same Universe but a different time and a different place.

Separate games with similar titles."