Only if the 'easy' option isn't easy or the 'hard' option isn't hard, if that makes sense.

If it affects gameplay or the enjoyment of playing the game, then I guess it's fair for people to complain about it..

But for reviewers, if they are obviously awful at the game, then complaining about difficultly may not be the best option to do. You don't need to be a top player, but if you are average at the game, then at least you can be more objective about the difficulty

There are game genres that I'm not good at and don't want to invest time into. I don't enjoy these games, but I wouldn't say they are bad games because I'm bad at them. On the other hand, if there are unfair mechanics in the game that make a game extremely difficult, then that can be a reason why a game is unfairly difficult.

FE Awakening was a really easy game, but I still enjoyed playing it :/

It's not like a demand or an entitlement but I'd love to see more developers embrace options for difficulty. It's absolutely one of the most awesome things about user-created mods.

For example, in Fallout 4, I used a mod that allowed me to select the damage modifier used by both my character and enemy NPCs. I felt Very Hard was too "bullet spongy" so I scaled up damage output for both. I also have superior weapons added to enemy loot tables. I used another mod to reduce healing items in the world.

Options are freaking awesome to have and they let people play the way they want.

If it impacts your enjoyment, yes. That said, it is a highly subjective criticism and should generally be qualified by context.

What is supposed to be criticised is game design.
If an gets boring because its too easy its due to bad design, if an hard games gets frustrating is due to bad design.
That said and easy game is objectively more accessible than an hard game thus it requires a lower level of commitment from the player in order to be properly enjoyed.
I beleieve difficult games get praised more often partially beacuse most modern games (since just a few years ago) had lost a part of that feeling of reward of older games and partially because high difficulty often comes hand in hand with gameplay depth.

It depends on marketing. For example, people already expect Dark Souls to be hard. I think they are not to blame.

A lot of people who review games are old school gamers or at least have gained a status as a hardened gamer who has a broad reach of understanding for difficulty, or conniseur if you will. Games like Cuphead and Dark Souls were made for the hardended gamer and publicized as such because thats who they aim to attact. Yes, it is a badge of honor or a feather in your cap for specific gamers to beat this games. These games are billed for conniseurs. People who like easier difficulty games want to feel like they should be able to fit in with the "elite" crowd who play the hard games...but honestly thats why its called a game. Its meant to be surpassed. If you cannot...then you should accept you aptitude and or level of difficulty that you are able to swallow.

P.S.

Nintendo games are also not too easy. Nintendo games are nearly perfectly balanced as the building blocks of learning to what makes a successful game today. If you beat Nintendo games the chances are by default you have above a moderate level of skill or above. Zelda Breath of the Wild and 3D mario games definitely required at least moderate level skill. I've played with people who played 3D Nintendo games and wished they had fallen back to the 3D era.

One's opinion of a game is just that - their opinion. They can measure a game based on any criteria they wish.

Criticize a game for being bad. If the difficulty (or lack of it) negatively impacts the game, then it's fair criticism. However, I think there are more than enough games out there to satisfy both the casual and hardcore.

The question is....would Dark Souls be as intended if it had an easy mode? This is exactly why publishers capitalizing on play to win strategies. They are seeing that the mass population are not finishing games either because of time constraints or lack of aptitude so they are dumbing down games.