I think I figured it out... it's not that D1 has more or less "story" as D2, rather it's how the story is presented. This may sound silly, but in D1 you are essentially a medieval Sherlock Holmes, trying to make sense of what is happening in Tristram. Of course the story is already there, but part of any good mystery is unraveling the clues as to what happened. Maybe that is what excites me about D1 in regards to the story? But nonetheless, part of a good story is an appropriate atmosphere, complete with fitting music, scenery, and dialog, all of which I feel was lacking in D2. Lets face it, telling a scary campfire story at high noon in a crowded mall will not have the same effect as telling it over a dimly lit campfire with but a few intent listeners. While D2 may be superior in many aspects, it is greatly lacking in... story, as I said all along. But of course, this just my opinion. Anyways, I guess I'm just a sucker for a good scary story, especially when it's wrapped up in a good mystery (ala Doom, Resident Evil anyone?).
"The true value of a human being is determined primarily by the measure and the sense in which he has attained liberation from the self." -Albert Einsetin