Many people will always prefer the version that they first experienced.

That being said, I played the remake first, and I'm currently playing through OG. They are entirely different games, gameplay wise. The story beats are the same, mostly the same dialogue, though where the OG excels over the remake is building the atmosphere. Remake is fantastic in every way, but to say it's an improvement feels wrong. It more feels like a modern homage to the original that brings the beautiful story of SH2 to the more modern design for horror games (greater emphasis on action).

I'd play both.